Florida

• Een vastgoedtopman kreeg een onverwachte reactie toen zij sprak over het ‘leven in een tijd van ingrijpende veranderingen’. • Hoewel diploma-uitreikingen op universiteiten meestal bestaan uit een spreker die advies geeft aan studenten, was er tijdens een recente ceremonie een situatie waarbij de studenten de spreker op luidruchtige wijze hun mening lieten horen. • De afstudeerders van de klas van 2026 van de University of Central Florida joueerden toen een vastgoedontwikkelaar sprak over hoe “de opkomst van kunstmatige intelligentie de volgende Industriële Revolutie is” en over het “leven in een tijd van ingrijpende veranderingen”.

• Overlevers keren terug naar de 'plaats delict' voor een schaduwhoorzitting van het congres naar de misbruiken begaan door Epstein • Overlevers van Jeffrey Epstein zullen dinsdag terugkeren naar de "plaats delict" in Palm Beach, Florida, voor een schaduwhoorzitting van het congres naar de misbruiken begaan door de overleden zedendelictpleger. • Verschillende leden van de Democratische toezichtfractie van het Huis van afgevaardigden zullen zich aansluiten bij de slachtoffers en diverse deskundige getuigen tijdens de hoorzitting in de buurt van Epsteins voormalige villa aan het water, waar hij meisjes vanaf 14 jaar ronselde om seksuele diensten te verlenen aan vermogende gasten.

• Federale rechtszaak tegen OpenAI stelt dat de vermoedelijke schutter maandenlang uitgebreide gesprekken heeft gevoerd met de chatbot • De familie van een van de twee slachtoffers bij een schietincident in april 2025 aan de Florida State University (FSU) heeft een federale rechtszaak aangespannen tegen de maker van ChatGPT, OpenAI. Zij beweren dat de vermoedelijke schutter de aanval heeft uitgevoerd "met input en informatie die aan hem werd verstrekt tijdens gesprekken met ChatGPT over een periode van maanden, en specifiek in de dagen voorafgaand aan de schietpartij". • De rechtszaak, die voor het eerst door NBC News werd gemeld, werd zondag ingediend bij de federale rechtbank in het noorden van Florida door Vandana Joshi, de weduwe van Tiru Chabba. Chabba werd samen met de cateringdirecteur van de universiteit, Robert Morales, gedood bij de massale schietpartij op 17 april 2025, waarbij ook vijf anderen gewond raakten.

Thomas Shaknovsky botched the surgery of William Bryan, 70, who died on the operating tableA Florida surgeon who is facing criminal charges after allegedly removing a patient’s liver instead of his spleen has said he is “forever traumatized” by that person’s death.In a deposition from November that was recently obtained by NBC, 44-year-old Thomas Shaknovsky described the death of 70-year-old William Bryan as an “incredibly unfortunate event that I regret deeply”. Continue reading...

Men were convicted in Miami federal court for plotting to kill Jovenel Moise at his Port-au-Prince home in 2021Four south Florida men were convicted on Friday of plotting to kill Haitian president Jovenel Moise in 2021 by hiring mercenaries to assassinate him at his Port-au-Prince home, court records show.Prosecutors argued during the nine-week trial in a Miami federal court that the men assembled two dozen former Colombian soldiers and supplied them with money, guns, ammunition and tactical vests in a conspiracy to kill Moise. The 53-year-old president was shot dead in July 2021 at his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince, a killing that left a gaping political vacuum in the Caribbean nation and emboldened powerful gangs. Continue reading...

Musician whose real name is Bill Kahan Kapri is charged with trafficking MDMA after incident last NovemberKodak Black, the Florida-based rapper, was scheduled to appear in court in Orlando on Thursday on a felony drug charge stemming from an incident last year in which gunshots were allegedly fired near a children’s educational building.The musician, who has a long history of arrests and was sentenced to a three-year prison term on a firearms charge in 2019 before being pardoned by Donald Trump, turned himself in to the Orange county jail on Wednesday, multiple media reports said. Continue reading...

Video shows ‘looksmaxxing’ influencer shooting an apparently already dead alligator in the EvergladesA controversial social media influencer known as Clavicular is facing charges in connection with a video showing him shooting an apparently already dead alligator in the Everglades, local Florida media has reported.Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Eric Peters and is known for the practice of “looksmaxxing”, faces charges of unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public place or residential property, according to legal files obtained by television station ABC6 in South Florida. Continue reading...

Cassian Joubert was partially delivered at 25 weeks for procedure and placed back in mother’s womb before birthA Florida infant is said to have been born twice after undergoing what was an innovative, likely life-saving surgery that involved a partial delivery weeks before his mother then gave birth to him.Cassian Joubert’s remarkable story was recently first told publicly by his mother and father – Keishera and Greg Joubert – in a 1 May video published on social media by the Orlando Health Women’s Institute, which employs the surgeon that led the baby boy’s prenatal operation. Continue reading...

• Florida has become the latest state to approve a partisan gerrymandered congressional map, reflecting ongoing efforts to reshape electoral districts for political advantage. • The redistricting decision continues the national battle over gerrymandering, with states competing to structure congressional districts to favor particular political parties. • The approval demonstrates the persistent challenge of partisan gerrymandering in U.S. electoral politics and its impact on representation and competitive races.

Robert Cyr Jr, a US navy airman, had gone missing in 1944 when his seaplane crashed in the Segond channelThe remains of a US military aviator who went missing after his crew crashed during the second world war were recovered and identified through DNA analysis and his family recently laid him to rest in Florida, according to officials.US navy airman Robert Cyr Jr’s burial in Clearwater, Florida, brought to an end a decades-long saga that began on 22 January 1944, when he and eight fellow crewmates crashed while they were aboard a seaplane as it took off in the Segond channel in what is now the south Pacific’s Republic of Vanuatu. Continue reading...

Ron DeSantis approves maps that give Republicans an advantage in four more races in November’s midtermsUS politics live – latest updatesFlorida governor Ron DeSantis signed a new gerrymandered congressional district map into law Monday which gives Republicans an electoral advantage in four additional races in November’s midterm elections.“Signed, Sealed, and Delivered,” DeSantis said in a post on X, with a map of the new districts attached. Continue reading...

• Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 81, is hospitalized at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, for pneumonia linked to restrictive airway disease from his 9/11 response. • Spokesman Ted Goodman stated Giuliani is now breathing on his own with primary medical providers monitoring him as a precautionary measure after running toward the towers on September 11, 2001. • Goodman described Giuliani as 'the ultimate fighter' in critical but stable condition, with his family appreciating prayers and support amid ongoing recovery.

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new congressional maps set to strip Democrats of additional House seats ahead of 2026 midterms. • In contrast, Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed redistricting plan threatening Republican incumbents. • The coast-to-coast battles reflect volatile gerrymandering disputes shaping midterm battlegrounds.

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed new congressional district maps designed to strip Democrats of additional House seats in the state. • The redistricting effort is part of a broader coast-to-coast battle over legislative boundaries ahead of the 2026 midterms, with competing proposals from both parties. • In Virginia, voters narrowly backed a Democratic remap that threatens several Republican incumbents, demonstrating the high stakes of redistricting.

• A POLITICO investigation reveals a well‑connected pharmaceutical company and conservative commentator Laura Loomer have sought to undermine Dr. Vinay Prasad, an ally of Senator Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over his criticism of certain drug‑pricing and regulatory practices. • The report alleges coordinated social‑media campaigns and behind‑the‑scenes lobbying efforts meant to discredit Prasad’s research and public‑health commentary. • Pharmaceutical trade groups and some patient advocates have pushed back, saying that Big Pharma naturally tries to defend its business model, but critics warn of growing corporate‑backed attempts to silence dissenting medical voices.

Sloths were set to be displayed at controversial new theme park but report revealed mammals died in warehouseProsecutors in Florida said Friday they have launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of dozens of sloths from South America that were set to be displayed at a controversial new theme park.A Florida fish and wildlife commission (FWC) report revealed last week that 31 mammals taken from rainforests in Peru and Guyana by the owners of Sloth World, a forthcoming tourist attraction in Orlando, perished in an unheated warehouse between December 2024 and February 2025. Continue reading...

Vote comes on same day the US supreme court rolls back a key provision of the Voting Rights ActThe Florida legislature approved a new congressional map intended to maximize Republicans’ advantage in the state as part of the national redistricting battle that Donald Trump launched before this year’s midterms.The vote came just two days after the governor, Ron DeSantis, unveiled his proposal and the same day the US supreme court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The decision could make it harder for Democrats to challenge Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts in ways that limit the influence of voters of color. Continue reading...

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis unveiled new congressional district maps that could eliminate additional Democratic seats in the House. • The redistricting proposal targets areas with Democratic incumbents, intensifying battles ahead of the 2026 midterms. • Republicans see this as key to maintaining House majority, while Democrats warn of voter suppression tactics.

US suspect held in south-east Asia after genealogical DNA identified him in Tampa-area case involving 7-year-old girlA man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl in Florida in 1989 was recently arrested in the Philippines, according to authorities.Preserved DNA and genealogical research allowed investigators to identify Young Tom Talmadge, 69, as the suspect in the Tampa-area case, the Philippines’ government said in a statement. Continue reading...

• Florida's KidCare expansion remains stalled in legal limbo since February 2024, preventing coverage for more children. • Uninsured children in the state have risen to 400,000, one of the highest tallies nationwide. • Delay exacerbates access issues as federal funds await resolution, impacting low-income families significantly.

Proposal from Ron DeSantis would net Republicans up to four additional US House seats ahead of midterm electionsRon DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor, on Monday unveiled his proposal for redistricting his state’s congressional maps, a move he hopes will net his party up to four additional House seats in November’s midterm elections.The long-awaited reveal, which will be debated during a special session of Florida’s legislature called by DeSantis beginning Tuesday, is the latest, and possibly final, act of a nationwide “gerrymandering” battle for control of Congress sparked by Donald Trump that looks increasingly to be moving back in Republicans’ favor. Continue reading...

Hisham Abugharbieh has been charged in the deaths of his roommate and his roommate’s girlfriendSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe man charged with killing two University of South Florida doctoral students from Bangladesh allegedly asked ChatGPT about what happens if a person has been put in a garbage bag and “thrown in a dumpster”, according to prosecutors in a court filing.He also allegedly bought duct tape and trash bags in the days leading up to the students’ disappearance. Continue reading...

Special session comes after Virginia voted to redraw maps and as Trump pressures Republicans to protect House majorityFlorida begins a special session on Tuesday in what may be the last front of the redistricting war before the 2026 election, with Republicans trying to redraw maps to pick up more seats in Congress.Lawmakers enter the session in Tallahassee cloaked in mystery, with no preview of a proposed map to consider and no clear path for Republicans to increase their representation in what appears to be a hostile year for their party. Continue reading...

Hisham Abugharbieh was arrested after standoff with police and charged with killing Zamil Limon and Nahida BristyThe man who was detained after two Bangladeshi doctoral students went missing from the University of South Florida (USF) has been booked with two counts of murder.Hisham Abugharbieh faces two counts of premeditated murder in the first degree with a weapon in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, the Hillsborough county sheriff’s office announced on Saturday. Continue reading...

• Florida Gators standout Caleb Banks was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 18th overall pick in the recent NFL Draft. • Banks' selection marks a major moment for the Gators program and represents a top-20 draft selection for the defensive player. • The Vikings bolster their defensive roster with the University of Florida standout in their first-round selection.

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is urging the state House to approve a revived AI Bill of Rights before a special session, following Senate passage of sweeping AI restrictions. • The legislation would remove from office local officials violating the rules and prohibit companion chatbots from interacting with minors without parental consent. • This move addresses rising concerns over AI safety, governance, and potential misuse in public and private sectors amid generative AI's rapid adoption.

Hisham Abugharbeih, 26, taken into custody after remains of Zamil Limon found, as search for Nahida Bristy continuesThe body of one of two Bangladeshi doctoral students missing from the University of South Florida (USF) was found on a bridge over Tampa Bay, and his roommate has been taken into custody, law enforcement authorities said Friday.Zamil Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland Bridge on Friday morning, but Nahida Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough county sheriff’s office chief deputy Joseph Maurer said. Continue reading...

Languorous tree dwellers from Guyana and Peru died from ‘cold stun’ in warehouse with no power or running waterSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailWildlife officials in Florida said in a newly released report that dozens of sloths taken from South American rainforests for display at a controversial new tourist attraction in Orlando died in the care of their new owners.An incident report from the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) said that 31 of the mammals procured from Peru and Guyana by the owners of a forthcoming attraction called Sloth World perished in a storage warehouse more than a year ago, between December 2024 and February 2025. Continue reading...