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Hurricanes’ standout running back Damien Martinez drafted

South Florida Local News - Sat, 04/26/2025 - 14:57

Damien Martinez spent just one season with the Miami Hurricanes, but he made it a productive one.

The standout running back turned his one year in Miami into a launching pad to the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks picked Martinez in the seventh round with the 223rd pick of the NFL draft on Saturday.

Martinez, a Lewisville, Texas, native, started his college career at Oregon State. He spent two seasons with the Beavers, racking up 2,167 yards and 16 touchdowns.

After two years with Oregon State, Martinez transferred to Miami. He was the Hurricanes’ premier running back, rushing for 1,002 yards and 10 scores. He was picked as an All-ACC honorable mention.

Martinez’s advanced numbers proved even better. Pro Football Focus gave him a 94.4 run grade, which was third in the nation among running backs with 150 or more carries. He trailed only Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty and Arizona State star Cam Skattebo.

Martinez was the first UM running back to rush for 1,000 yards since Mark Walton in 2016. He said in January that he believes he can be an all-around running back in the NFL.

“Just being able to play without the ball, and then, for sure being a better pass protector, pass catcher out of the backfield,” Martinez said. “Everybody can run the ball, but in today’s league especially to a three-down back, or two-down back, you have to be able to do it all.”

Dave Hyde: An epic South Florida Saturday fizzled for Panthers, Heat (and sort of Dolphins)

South Florida Local News - Sat, 04/26/2025 - 14:50

South Florida could have been the epic epicenter of sports Saturday. There was a moment to dream, too.

The Miami Heat led early in their playoff game, the Panthers took 1-0 lead a few minutes later in theirs and the Dolphins were a focus of the NFL draft’s third day with seven picks.

We were living so well that moment in so many places.

And then it all crashed on us like a bad joke.

• The Heat were trounced by top seed Cleveland, 124-87, in Miami to fall behind 3-0 in their series.

• The Panthers lost their way in losing 5-1 to Tampa Bay and had their series lead trimmed to 2-1.

• The Dolphins might have found some important pieces, but their Saturday had all the excitement on a rummage sale when, after trading out of the third round on Friday, they traded out of the fourth round Saturday and declined to take a fifth-round flyer on bargain-bin quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

All in all, a day of dreaming became a terrible, horrible, very bad, no good day that might look even worse Sunday.

The Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk made a late, loud hit on Tampa Bay center Jake Guentzel that the NHL probably will review for further discipline beyond the assessed five-minute penalty.

Tkachuk’s hit wasn’t the violent, head-hunting smackdown on Panthers center Aleksander Barkov in Game 2 that led to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel was suspended for Saturday. Or was it?

“I think it’s extremely similar other than the puck wasn’t touched (by Barkov),’’ TNT studio analyst Paul Bissonnette said in the post-game.

“That’s a big difference,’’ analyst Anson Carter said.

Guentzel did touch the puck but it was long gone when Tkachuk hit him. The NHL will rule on that Sunday, and the debate will consume the hockey world until Game 4 in Sunrise on Monday night. The decision could tilt that night, and with it the series, though Tampa Bay did just fine without Hagel’s talent on Saturday.

“The only players we hit are the ones with pucks,’’ Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said in repeating Panthers coach Paul Maurice’s line after the Hagel hit.

The Panthers remain the only chance for a championship parade in South Florida and another champagne morning at the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale beach like last summer.

But Saturday showed how difficult that road will be, right from this first series. Tampa Bay has championship pedigree, just as the Panthers. They didn’t fold and scored five straight goals after Tkachuk scored the game-opening goal.

“I’m not feeling like (Saturday) was an aberration to how I thought this would go,’’ Maurice said. “It’s going to be a grinder straight through.”

As for the Heat, the common thought is the series is over after Cleveland outclassed them for a third straight game.

If only that were true.

There’s one more Cleveland win to play out, which means the chance things can get uglier than Saturday. The Heat continued to show their season highlight was winning the two play-in games just to reach the playoffs after Jimmy Butler’s exit wrecked the season.

After taking a 15-6 lead, the Heat didn’t compete Saturday. The signature sequence of the game was the Heat throwing up consecutive air balls before half and Cleveland scoring an easy basket inside for a 62-42 lead.

“We laid an egg today,’’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

No NBA team has rallied to win a series from a 3-0 playoff deficit. That about sums up the Heat’s chances.

“We’re going to play until the final buzzer, whether that’s next game, Game 5, 6 7 or another series after this,’’ guard Tyler Herro said. “We just got to keep playing. That’s what we’re paid to do and that’s who we are as an organization.”

The good news: Team president Pat Riley can start whale hunting in one more game to replace Butler.

As for the Dolphins, everyone knows the draft is about tomorrow. But their big move Saturday was to trade a fourth-round pick in part for a later pick Saturday and a 2026 third-round pick.

Maybe this under-fire management team did what’s best for the franchise. Maybe this needy roster could have got added help for this season. Maybe it’s just best to say as little as possible about third days of drafts.

The one chance for marquee interest with a late-round pick was to take Sanders, the free-fallin’ Colorado quarterback. The Dolphins kicked off their Saturday by taking Maryland tackle Jordan Phillips with the sixth pick of the fifth round. Cleveland took Sanders with the following pick.

All in all, a Saturday that could have been epic instead fizzled as the afternoon played out. The Heat lost. The Panthers lost. The Dolphins had a typically ignorable third day of the draft.

And the bad day’s not done, as Tkachuk’s hit plays out Sunday.

Panthers beaten by Lightning in Game 3 | PHOTOS

South Florida Local News - Sat, 04/26/2025 - 14:07
Florida Panthers beaten by Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round, Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Today in History: April 26, the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster

South Florida Local News - Sat, 04/26/2025 - 01:00

Today is Saturday, April 26, the 116th day of 2025. There are 249 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 26, 1986, in the worst nuclear disaster in history, an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine caused radioactive fallout to begin spewing into the atmosphere. Dozens of people were killed in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, while the long-term death toll from radiation poisoning is believed to number in the thousands.

Also on this date:

In 1607, English colonists went ashore at present-day Cape Henry, Virginia, on an expedition to establish the first permanent English settlement in the Western Hemisphere.

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In 1865, John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, was surrounded by federal troops near Port Royal, Virginia, and killed.

In 1913, Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old worker at a Georgia pencil factory, was strangled; Leo Frank, the factory superintendent, was convicted of her murder and sentenced to death. (Frank’s death sentence was commuted, but he was lynched by an antisemitic mob in 1915.)

In 1964, the African nations of Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form what is now known as Tanzania.

In 1977, the legendary nightclub Studio 54 had its opening night in New York.

In 1994, voting began in South Africa’s first all-race elections, which resulted in victory for the African National Congress and the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as president.

In 2000, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed the nation’s first bill allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

In 2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first head of state since World War II to be convicted by an international war crimes court as he was found guilty of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and the use of child soldiers. (Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison.)

In 2018, comedian Bill Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting Temple University employee Andrea Constand at Cosby’s suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. (Cosby was later sentenced to three to 10 years in prison, but Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out the conviction and released him from prison in June 2021, ruling that the prosecutor in the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby.)

Today’s Birthdays:
  • Actor-comedian Carol Burnett is 92.
  • Composer-producer Giorgio Moroder is 85.
  • Olympic swimming gold medalist Donna de Varona is 78.
  • Actor Giancarlo Esposito is 67.
  • Actor Joan Chen is 64.
  • Actor Jet Li is 62.
  • Actor-comedian Kevin James is 60.
  • Former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey is 59.
  • Actor Marianne Jean-Baptiste is 58.
  • First lady Melania Trump is 55.
  • Singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (TLC) is 55.
  • Country musician Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) is 54.
  • Actor Tom Welling is 48.
  • Actor Pablo Schreiber is 47.
  • Actor Jordana Brewster is 45.
  • Actor Channing Tatum is 45.
  • New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is 33.

What to know about the funeral and burial of Pope Francis

South Florida Local News - Sat, 04/26/2025 - 00:15

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death set off mourning across the Catholic world and days of ritual at the Vatican. Here are the key things to know about the funeral of the first Latin American pontiff in the church’s history:

When and where is his funeral being held?

His funeral is being held on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square. Francis will then be buried, according to his will: in a simple underground tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica. The church is home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.

The sealing of the coffin

The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presided over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth was placed over Francis’ face.

A bag containing coins minted during his papacy was placed in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy — known in Italian as a “rogito,” a word indicating an official deed. It was read aloud by the master of liturgical ceremonies and then rolled up and slipped inside a cylindrical tube that was placed inside the coffin. Another copy is kept in the Vatican archives. The covers of both the zinc coffin and the wooden one bear a cross and Francis’ papal coat of arms.

Why not at the Vatican?

Francis had said he wanted to be buried not in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, where most popes are buried, but in the St. Mary Major Basilica across town. His choice reflects his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome).

The bell tower of St. Mary Major Basilica, where the burial ceremony of Pope Francis will take place, in Rome, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Which dignitaries are expected to attend?

Heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, are among those expected for the funeral. Others dignitaries include: Prince William, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Council President António Costa.

Show Caption1 of 21The sun rises through a statue as people begin to take their seats in St. Peter’s Square, ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Expand How long did the pope serve?

Pope Francis had a 12-year papacy during which he charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor. But the Argentina-born pope also alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.

So, how do they choose a new pope?

The death of a pope starts a centuries-old ritual to elect a new one, involving sacred oaths by the cardinals, the piercing of ballots with a needle and thread after they’re counted, and then burning them to produce either the white or black smoke to signal if there’s a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

With the burial, the Catholic Church begins nine days of official mourning, known as the “novemdiales”. The date of the conclave to elect a new pope has not yet been announced.

People queue trying to reach St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In the conclave, the cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session. Black smoke indicates no pope has been elected; white smoke says the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Any baptized Catholic male is eligible, though only cardinals have been selected since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the vote from those cardinals under age 80 who are eligible to participate.

Francis appointed the vast majority of electors, often tapping men who share his pastoral priorities, which suggests continuity rather than rupture.

While it’s impossible to predict who the next pope will be, some cardinals are considered to have better chances than others.

Is it like the movie?

Yes and no. “Conclave” the 2024 film, introduced many laypeople to the ancient selection process with its arcane rules and grand ceremony, albeit with a silver screen twist packed full of palace intrigue and surprise.

Vatican experts say the movie excels at re-creating the look and feel of a conclave. But there are discrepancies, errors and some outlandish storylines in the Hollywood version. And while the voting process was depicted accurately, the ballots are burned not after each vote, but after each session.

The legacy of Francis

Francis was known for his personal simplicity, from the choice of his name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced wealth to help the poor, to the outward symbols and priorities of his papacy.

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He chose to live in the Vatican’s Domus Santa Marta hotel instead of the Apostolic Palace and wore his old orthotic shoes and not the red loafers of the papacy.

In his teachings, he focused on concern for refugees and other marginalized people. His first trip outside Rome as pope in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. His plea for welcome put him at odds with U.S. and European policies.

He also also signaled a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ+ people, while also making the fight against climate change a priority. Francis became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document and made care for God’s creation a hallmark of his papacy.

He eschewed the grandiose even in his departure, lying in state in a simple coffin made of wood.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Photos: From mightiest to humblest, hundreds of thousands gather for Pope Francis’ funeral

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 22:16

VATICAN CITY (AP) — From some of the world’s most powerful leaders to those on society’s margins whom Pope Francis always made a point to minister to, hundreds of thousands of people were expected at the Vatican Saturday for the funeral rites for the late pontiff.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and some 60 other heads of state and reigning sovereigns announced their plans to travel to Rome from around the globe. The Vatican said that “a group of the poor and the needy” would be on the steps of St. Mary Major Basilica to pay homage to the first Jesuit and first Latin American pope before his burial in the church.

The Holy See press office added that the poor had a special place in Francis’ heart. He had chosen for his papacy the name of the medieval Italian saint who famously renounced his family’s wealth when he joined the church.

Already, long lines of the faithful have paid their homage to Francis, who died Monday at age 88, over the three days that his body was lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

From the beginning of his papacy in 2013, Francis won over many around the world, Catholic or not, with his advocacy for migrants and the environment. His legacy was more mixed on the topics of clergy sexual abuse and LGBTQ+ outreach, which made waves for increasing inclusion but some criticized for not going far enough.

A nun smiles as she waits ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) People wait for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Cardinals take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) A nun holds a rosary as she waits for the funeral of Pope Francis to begin, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) A nun looks above the crowds as people gather for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Faithful, one holding a placard with the Ukrainian flag and reading Francis, pray for us, arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Nuns and other pilgrims look for their seats in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Police officers speak in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

A faithful wearing a flag from Argentina arrives for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Nuns and pilgrims make their way to St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Faithful and Swiss Guards are backdropped by St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Faithful rest on the ground ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) A man yawns as people arrive in St. Peter’s Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) A nun waits in St. Peter’s Square as people arrive ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Priests take their seats ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A faithful waves a flag with Carlo Acutis, the 15-year-old Italian boy who died in 2006 of leukemia and beatified in 2020, at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Faithful rest on the ground outside St Peter’s Basilica waiting for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Faithful arrive ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Faithful stand on a lamppost as they wait for the funeral of Pope Francis to begin in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Faithful wait for the start of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Nadine, from Germany, is waiting for the funeral of Pope Francis to begin, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Faithful rest on the ground ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Faithful sit in St. Peter’s Square waiting for the funeral of Pope Francis to begin, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Priests take their seats ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Clergy arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) A Vatican Swiss Guard in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Trump will pay his respects to a pope who publicly and pointedly disagreed with him on some issues

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 22:06

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

ROME (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday was among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending the funeral of Pope Francis, where he’ll personally pay his respects to the Roman Catholic leader who pointedly disagreed with him on a variety of issues.

Trump arrived at the Vatican with his wife, first lady Melania Trump.

Trump told reporters on Friday as he flew to Rome that he was going to the funeral “out of respect” for the pontiff, who died Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 88.

Francis sharply disagreed with Trump’s approach on issues including immigration, the treatment of migrants and climate change. The Argentine pontiff and the American president sparred early in their relationship over immigration. In 2016, Francis, alluding to then-candidate Trump and his campaign slogan of “Build the wall,” called anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants “ not Christian.” Trump said the comment was “disgraceful.”

But after Francis’ death, the Republican president praised him as a “good man” who “worked hard” and “loved the world.” Trump also directed that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff in Francis’ honor.

Trump had said on a couple of occasions before leaving Washington that he would have “a lot” of meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the funeral. But he seemed to back away from that as he flew to Rome.

“Frankly, it’s a little disrespectful to have meetings when you’re at the funeral of a pope,” the president told reporters accompanying him aboard Air Force One. Nonetheless, Trump said: “I’ll be talking to people. I’ll be seeing a lot of people.”

The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary and Argentina are among those expected to attend.

One person Trump didn’t expect to interact with is former President Joe Biden, who planned to attend the funeral with his wife, Jill. Trump said he wasn’t aware his Democratic predecessor would be at the funeral. Asked if they’d meet, Trump said: “It’s not high on my list. It’s really not.”

The pope’s funeral will not be one of those occasions that bring together the current and former U.S. presidents. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush are not attending, their offices said. A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton did not respond to an inquiry about his plans.

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Trump didn’t elaborate when asked if he’d just be meeting leaders in passing or holding more in-depth talks. He suggested he might have meetings at Villa Taverna, the U.S. ambassador’s residence, where he spent the night.

“It’s a little tough because we don’t have much time,” Trump said, noting his late arrival in Rome. He was scheduled to head back to the United States immediately after the funeral.

“I think that we’re going to try and see a couple of people that are important in what we’re doing,” said Trump, who is trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and negotiate trade agreements with multiple countries.

He posted on Truth Social shortly after arriving in Rome that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high level talks” on ending the bloody three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on Saturday to attend the funeral, his press office confirmed, joining first lady Olena Zelenska. Putin is not attending.

Pope Francis funeral: Watch live from Vatican City

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 22:03

VATICAN CITY (AP) — As many as 200,000 people are expected to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square as he is being laid to rest Saturday.

While dignitaries are to attend, prisoners and migrants will usher him into the basilica where he will be buried, reflecting his priorities as pope.

U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.N. chief and European Union leaders are joining Prince William and the Spanish royal family will be in attendance.

Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus.

Here is the latest:

Trump and Zelenskyy meet before the service

That’s according to Zelenskyy’s press office.

The White House had no immediate comment.

Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for “very high-level talks” on ending the three-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were “very close to a deal.”

Pope Francis’ funeral Mass begins in a packed St. Peter’s Square

Tens of thousands flocked to the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year.

Pallbearers carry Pope Francis’ simple wooden coffin

They carried the coffin, adorned with just a crucifix and Francis’ coat of arms, down the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica and out into the square at the start of his funeral.

Red-robbed cardinals lined the path and followed behind as the crowd in the square erupted in applause in a sign of respect.

Cardinals flank pope’s coffin

Cardinals in rich red robes formed a double line in St. Peter’s Basilica, flanking the coffin as it was carried into the square for the funeral Mass. Pallbearers lifted the coffin to applause from the square.

The coffin of Pope Francis is carried into St Peter’s Square for his funeral, at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Trump takes his seat for the funeral

Trump and his wife, Melania, were escorted out of St. Peter’s Basilica to their seats for the service.

He was followed afterward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was greeted with a burst of applause from the audience.

Giant photographs of Carlo Acutis seen in St. Peter’s Square

Acutis was supposed to have been canonized on Sunday as the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.

The Vatican suspended the ceremony after Pope Francis died, but many people who had made plans to be in Rome for the canonization came anyway to attend the funeral. Announcers asked all flags and banners be lowered as the funeral was getting underway.

Bells toll to signal the start of the procession

Francis’ coffin will be brought from St. Peter’s Basilica to the front of the altar in the square.

Mourners were instructed to refrain from waving flags or banners during the procession.

Mourners led in rosary prayer as dignitaries take their seats at Pope Francis’ funeral

World leaders and royalty were sitting to the right of the main altar.

EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Argentine President Javier Milei have all made their way to their seating.

The Argentine and Italian leaders have place of pride in the seating order.

Trump arrives at funeral to pay respects to Pope Francis

The U.S. president clashed with the pope on immigration, climate and other issues.

A nun smiles as she waits ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Mourners remember Pope Francis

They spoke of the pontiff in emotional terms while lining up along Via della Conciliazione for Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square.

Miguel Vaca, a pilgrim from Peru, lined up at 7 a.m.

“He was a very charismatic pope, very human, very kind, above all very human,’’ Vaca said. “It’s a very great emotion to say goodbye to him.

Faithful rest on the ground outside St Peter’s Basilica waiting for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Italian pilgrim Pasquale Vezza made his way to the square with his family. He said the pope “was a bit like everyone’s grandfather.”

“He will be greatly missed as a person, as a pope. … Now we hope that there will be a continuation, especially of his message of peace,” Vezza said.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrives in Rome for papal funeral

Zelenskyy arrived in Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis.

His press office confirmed his arrival, joining the first lady Olena Zelenska, who preceded him.

Zelenskyy’s presence was put in doubt after a recent missile attack.

Pope’s coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used on a Philippines trip

The pope will get one more ride past the faithful on one of his beloved popemobiles.

The Vatican says for Saturday’s burial procession, his coffin will be placed on the back of a popemobile used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines.

FILE – Pope Francis waves to onlookers from his popemobile as his motorcade passes by on the way to another “Meeting With Families” at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

The vehicle has been modified so the coffin will be visible to mourners along the nearly 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) route from St. Peter’s Basilica to his place of burial.

The pope reveled in being driven through crowds of faithful whether in St. Peter’s Square or on one of his many foreign trips. His last was on Easter Sunday, when he looped around St. Peter’s Square to the delight of the faithful who had followed his 5-week hospitalization for pneumonia and his recovery at the Vatican.

A Calabria parish group camped out all night to get a good spot

The 13 spent the night in a nearby square. They were already coming to Rome for the planned canonization of the first millennial saint on Sunday, which was suspended by Francis’ death. Instead, they drove up a day early for his funeral.

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“The Lord wanted it this way, so we came all the same,’’ said Sandra De Felice of Anoia in the Calabria region. “For me, this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable. Otherwise, we are nothing.”

Mourners race to find a spot in St Peter’s Square

Ordinary mourners streamed Saturday to get a spot in standing room near the rear of the square surrounding the ancient obelisk, behind VIP seating. The area to the left of the main altar, up the basilica steps, is reserved for celebrants and Catholic hierarchy, while world leaders and royalty will be seated on the right.

Many ran toward the square as barricades opened. Some carried banners for the Jubilee Holy Year that Francis opened in December and will continue despite his death Monday following a stroke.

Gilbert leaves start early for Mariners and Moore’s error helps Marlins win 8-4

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 21:48

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle starter Logan Gilbert left with right forearm tightness after throwing three perfect innings, and second baseman Dylan Moore made a two-out error that led to six unearned runs as the Miami Marlins beat the Mariners 8-4 Friday night.

Gilbert left with a 1-0 lead after Moore, the AL player of the week, homered off Cal Quantrill (2-2) in the second inning, his sixth longball of the season.

Disaster struck for Seattle with two outs in the fifth and emergency reliever Casey Lawrence (1-1) on the mound when Moore couldn’t handle a grounder by Matt Mervis with a runner on first. Liam Hicks and Javier Sanoja followed with RBI singles, and Xavier Edwards singled in a pair. Jesús Sánchez capped the rally with his first homer this season, a two-run shot that made it 6-1.

The Mariners closed within 6-4 in the sixth on a three-run homer by Jorge Polanco — his fifth.

Quantrill allowed four runs on five hits in 5 2/3. Jesus Tinoco got four outs and Calvin Faucher and Ronny Henriquez each pitched a scoreless inning to close it out.

Lawrence allowed eight runs — two earned — on 10 hits in five innings.

Key moment

After the Mariners pulled within 6-4 in the sixth, rookie Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez responded in the eighth with his first career homer, a two-run shot.

Key stat

Gilbert threw 20 of 29 pitches for strikes. He threw eight shutout innings against Miami last season in one of his two road wins over the Marlins.

Up next

RHP Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.75) starts for the Marlins on Saturday. The Mariners counter with RHP Luis Castillo (2-2, 4.44).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Mighty and meek attend Pope Francis’ funeral, a ceremony he helped reimagine

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 21:38

By NICOLE WINFIELD and COLLEEN BARRY, Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — World leaders and Catholic faithful bade farewell to Pope Francis in a funeral Saturday reflecting his priorities as pope and wishes as pastor. Though presidents and princes attended the Mass in St. Peter’s Square, prisoners and migrants will welcome him into the basilica across town where he will be laid to rest.

Some 200,000 people flocked to the funeral, held on a brilliant spring day that was supposed to have been a special Holy Year celebration for adolescents. Perhaps because so many young people were on hand, the somber ceremony still had a festive mood, with mourners taking selfies amid the hymns as Francis’ simple coffin was brought out of St. Peter’s Basilica at the start of the Mass.

Francis had choreographed the funeral himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican’s rites and rituals last year. His aim was to emphasize the pope’s role as a mere pastor and not “a powerful man of this world.”

It was a reflection of Francis’ 12-year project to radically reform the papacy, to stress priests as servants and to construct “a poor church for the poor.” He articulated the mission just days after his 2013 election and it explained the name he chose as pope, honoring St. Francis of Assisi “who had the heart of the poor of the world,” according to the official decree of the pope’s life that was placed in his simple wooden coffin before it was sealed Friday night.

Despite Francis’ focus on the powerless, the powerful were at his funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, and European Union leaders joined Prince William and European royals leading more than 160 official delegations. Argentine President Javier Milei had the pride of place given Francis’ nationality, even if the two didn’t particularly get along and the pope alienated many Argentines by never returning home.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

The white facade of St. Peter’s glowed pink as the sun rose Saturday and hordes of mourners rushed into the square. Giant television screens were set up along the surrounding streets for those who couldn’t get close. The Mass and funeral procession — with Francis’ coffin carried on the open-topped popemobile he used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines — were also being broadcast live around the world.

Police helicopters whirled overhead, part of the massive security operation Italian authorities mounted, including more than 2,500 police and 1,500 soldiers and a torpedo ship off the coast, Italian media reported.

Many mourners had planned to be in Rome anyway this weekend for the now-postponed Holy Year canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, and groups of scouts and youth church groups nearly outnumbered the gaggles of nuns and seminarians.

“He was a very charismatic pope, very human, very kind, above all very human,” said Miguel Vaca, a pilgrim from Peru who said he had camped out near the piazza. “It is a very great emotion to say goodbye to him.”

Show Caption1 of 32Clergy are seated for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Expand The poor and marginalized welcome him

Francis, the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope, died Easter Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke while recovering at home from pneumonia.

Following his funeral, preparations can begin in earnest to launch the centuries-old process of electing a new pope, a conclave that will likely begin in the first week of May. In the interim, the Vatican is being run by a handful of cardinals, key among them Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals who is presiding at the funeral and organizing the secret voting in the Sistine Chapel.

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Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be laid to rest in St. Mary Major Basilica, near Rome’s main train station, where a simple tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus. As many as 300,000 people are expected to line the 2.5-mile motorcade route that will bring Francis’ coffin from the Vatican through the center of Rome to the basilica after the funeral.

Forty special guests, organized by the Vatican’s Caritas charity and the Sant’Egidio community, will greet his coffin at the basilica, honoring the marginalized groups Francis prioritized as pope: homeless people and migrants, prisoners and transgender people.

“The poor have a privileged place in the heart of God,” the Vatican quoted Francis as saying in explaining the choice.

A special relationship with the basilica

Even before he became pope, Francis had a particular affection for St. Mary Major, home to a Byzantine-style icon of the Madonna, the Salus Populi Romani, to which Francis was particularly devoted. He would pray before it before and after each of his foreign trips as pope.

The choice of the basilica is also symbolically significant given its ties to Francis’ Jesuit religious order. St. Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Jesuits, celebrated his first Mass in the basilica on Christmas Day in 1538.

Crowds waited hours to bid farewell to Francis

Over three days this week, more than 250,000 people stood for hours in line to pay their final respects while Francis’ body lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican kept the basilica open through the night to accommodate them, but it wasn’t enough. When the doors closed to the general public at 7 p.m. on Friday, mourners were turned away in droves.

By dawn Saturday, they were back and ready to say a final farewell, some recalling the words he uttered the very first night of his election and throughout his papacy.

“We are here to honor him because he always said ‘don’t forget to pray for me,’” said Sister Christiana Neenwata from Biafrana, Nigeria. “So we are also here to give to him this love that he gave to us.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Chris Perkins: 10 players available for Dolphins on Day 3 of NFL draft

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 20:33

MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins have seven picks in Saturday’s final day of the NFL draft, which features rounds four through seven.

The Dolphins have one pick in the fourth round (116), three picks in the fifth (Nos. 143, 150 and 155) and three picks in the seventh (Nos. 224, 231 and 253) on Saturday.

Here are 10 players who could be available for the Dolphins and fit their needs:

Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse

McCord (6 foot 3, 218 pounds), projected as a fourth-rounder, shows promise as a dropback passer with 34 TDs and 12 INTs. He’d definitely be viewed as a backup to QB Tua Tagovailoa in 2025, and it’s unknown if he’d ever be viewed as a starter. He’s not especially elusive but his arm strength is impressive.

Cameron Williams, OT, Texas

Williams (6-6, 317) is a projected fourth-round RT who is long-armed but with shaky feet. He’s only a one-year starter so there are questions about his full body of work on film. He’s probably a better run blocker than pass blocker.

Aeneas Peebles, DT, Virginia Tech

Peebles (6-1, 282) is a fifth- or sixth-round projection who totaled 31 tackles, 3.0 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season. He’s quick and instinctive, which keeps him afloat despite his relatively small size.

Jalen Rivers, G-T, Miami

Rivers (6-6, 319) is projected as a fourth-round pick but he’s been battling injury problems his entire career. He has amazing versatility as he can play all five positions but he’s probably best suited for guard. He’s limited athletically but has a high football IQ.

Damien Martinez, RB, Miami

Martinez (6-0, 217), a power runner who has some speed, is projected as a sixth-round pick. He rushed for 1,002 yards with 10 TDs last season. He’s strong enough to serve as a short-yardage runner but fast enough to make big plays.

Related Articles Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse

Gadsden (6-5, 243), the son of ex-Dolphins WR Oronde Gadsden, is an All America selection who had 73 receptions for 934 yards receiving and 7 TDs. Gadsden has great hands and feet but not enough to lift his draft outlook. 

Jackson Slater, G-T, Sacramento State

Slater (6-3, 311), projected as a fifth-round pick, was a star at the Senior Bowl because of his versatility. He’s a bit slow-footed but other than that he’s got decent athleticism. 

Mac McWilliams, CB, UCF

McWilliams (5-10, 191), projected as a fifth-round pick, is an aggressive tackler who is better suited for zone coverage. He can play nickel/slot so he has position versatility. He has special teams value so he’ll play as a rookie.  

Clay Webb, G-C, Jacksonville State

Webb (6-3, 312) is a left guard who is projected as a fifth- or sixth-round pick. He has position versatility because he can play center, which was his position when he signed with Georgia. He might be better suited at center in the NFL.

Tim Smith, DT, Alabama

Smith (6-4, 302) is a workmanlike player who is projected as a fifth- or sixth-round pick. His strength is a question against better competition but he has good fundamentals. 

St. Thomas Aquinas’ Mason Taylor goes to Jets in second round, Boca Raton’s Ashton Gillotte picked by Chiefs in third

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 19:23

LSU’s Mason Taylor, the son of Jason Taylor and nephew of Zach Thomas, both Hall of Fame defensive players for the Miami Dolphins, was selected as a tight end with the 42nd selection in the 2025 NFL draft on Friday night.

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Taylor became the 38th graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School to be drafted into the NFL.

Taylor, a 6-foot-5 pass-catcher, hauled in 129 passes for 1,308 yard and six touchdowns in his three years at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jason Taylor, in the penultimate season of his career, played for the Jets in 2010.

Michael Laughlin/Sun SentinelAmerican Heritage safety Daemon Fagan attempts to tackle St. Thomas Aquinas tight end Mason Taylor during their game on Sept. 10, 2021.

Two-dozen selections later, Louisville pass rusher Ashton Gillotte, the Sun Sentinel’s 2020 Palm Beach County large-schools defensive player of the year with Boca Raton High School, was drafted by defending three-time AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs at No. 66.

Gillotte was honored after finishing his senior season with the Bobcats with 55 tackles, 10 sacks and nine tackles for loss in seven games.

He went on to Louisville, where he piled up 25.5 career sacks with three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Susan Stocker / South Florida Sun SentinelAshton Gillotte, a defensive end for Boca Raton High, is a Sun Sentinel Player of the Year for Palm Beach County.

Lightning’s Hagel suspended for Game 3 for his late hit that injured Panthers’ Barkov

South Florida Local News - Fri, 04/25/2025 - 18:56

NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Hagel will miss Game 3 of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first-round playoff series after getting suspended for his late hit that knocked Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended Hagel for a game for interference after a disciplinary hearing with him earlier Friday. Game 3 is Saturday at 1 p.m. at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

Florida coach Paul Maurice said Barkov had not been ruled out but also had not been cleared to play, adding he has multiple lineup options if one of the best all-around forwards in the league was not available.

Hagel was assessed a major penalty for interference after sending Barkov hurtling into the boards with the puck gone midway through the third period. Barkov left and did not return, and the call of a major penalty was upheld by on-ice officials after video review.

The defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers lead the cross-state rivalry series two games to none and can push the Lightning to the brink of elimination with another victory.

  
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