News

One person was killed and two were injured in a shooting at a home in Fort Lauderdale on Friday morning, police said.

Officers were called to a home in the 4500 block of Twin Lakes Boulevard just before 10 a.m., Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson Casey Liening said. Two people who had been shot were found in front of the home while one person was found inside.

One of the three people were pronounced dead there, Liening said. The surviving two were taken to Broward Health Medical Center as trauma alerts.

Liening said the shooting was isolated and that they are not searching for any suspects as everyone involved is “accounted for.”

Fort Lauderdale Police are investigating what led up to the shooting.

Additional information was not been released as of Friday afternoon.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

Today is Friday, April 4, the 94th day of 2025. There are 271 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., 39, was shot and killed while standing on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. King’s death triggered a wave of unrest in cities across the United States that killed 43 people and injured more than 3,000.

Also on this date:

In 1841, President William Henry Harrison succumbed to pneumonia one month after his inauguration, becoming the first U.S. chief executive to die in office; Harrison’s vice president, John Tyler, was sworn in as president two days later.

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In 1949, 12 nations, including the United States, signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C., establishing NATO.

In 1973, the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center were officially dedicated.

In 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 1991, Sen. John Heinz, R-Pa., and six other people, including two children, were killed when a helicopter collided with Heinz’s plane over a schoolyard in Merion, Pennsylvania.

In 2012, a federal judge sentenced five former New Orleans police officers to prison for the deadly Danziger Bridge shootings in the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina. (The verdicts in the case were later set aside by the judge, who cited prosecutorial misconduct; the officers pleaded guilty in 2016 to reduced charges.)

In 2015, in North Charleston, South Carolina, Walter Scott, a 50-year-old Black motorist, was shot to death while running away from a traffic stop; Officer Michael Thomas Slager, seen in a cellphone video opening fire at Scott, was charged with murder. (The charge, which lingered after a first state trial ended in a mistrial, was dropped as part of a deal under which Slager pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation; he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.)

In 2023, Prosecutors in New York unsealed a historic 34-count felony indictment of Donald Trump, alleging that he conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through a series of hush money payments designed to stifle claims that could be harmful to his candidacy. Trump became the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. (He would be found guilty on all counts the following month.)

Today’s Birthdays:

• Recording executive Clive Davis is 93.
• Golf Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner is 86.
• Actor Craig T. Nelson is 81.
• Actor Christine Lahti is 75.
• Football Hall of Famer John Hannah is 74.
• TV writer-producer David E. Kelley is 69.
• Actor Hugo Weaving is 64.
• TV host-comic Graham Norton is 62.
• Actor David Cross is 61.
• Actor Robert Downey Jr. is 60.
• Singer Jill Scott is 53.
• Magician David Blaine is 52.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Scott Rolen is 50.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo is 46.
• Actor Natasha Lyonne is 46.
• Actor-comedian Eric André is 42.
• Actor-singer Jamie Lynn Spears is 34.

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 110-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies:

– A stinging night for sure.

– Locked now into a losing record for the first time since 2018-19.

– With the Bucks winning on Thursday, locked into the play-in round for a third consecutive season.

– And the six-game winning streak over.

–  This one very much for the Heat had the look of a team not only completing a back-to-back set, but also returning from a week on the road.

– Who the heck schedules that?

– But there also was constant pushback when Grizzlies made their runs.

– Until the clock no longer allowed a pushback, after Ja Morant’s deciding buzzer-beater.

– Yes, this point of the season is beyond anything such as a good loss.

– But it was a good fight.

– With Tyler Herro stepping up to tie it on his 35-point night.

– With Bam Adebayo filling the box score.

– And with Kel’el Ware standing tall until Morant scored over his outstretched arm.

– No shame here.

– Now with the need for a Saturday night bounceback against the Bucks.

– Which could stand as a final chance to create an opportunity to rise to the Nos. 7-8 play-in.

– The hustle of Davion Mitchell again was there.

– But this required more than hustle from Mitchell, Pelle Larsson and Kyle Anderson.

– It required a few more shot-makers.

– So 35-42 it is, with five games remaining.

– It was a night that arguably deserved better.

– But every last ounce still was an ounce short.

– The game concluded the Heat’s 15th and final back-to-back set of the season.

– Even with Duncan Robinson again available, Erik Spoelstra stayed with the winning-streak starting lineup of Adebayo, Ware, Alec Burks, Herro and Larsson.

– With Larsson in early foul trouble, Mitchell was first off the bench,

– Haywood Highsmith followed.

– With Anderson making it eight deep.

– And Robinson nine deep.

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– That again had Jaime Jaquez Jr. out of the rotation mix.

– Ware moved within one game of a tie for third place on the Heat rookie-season double-double list with Grant Long, now at 13, with Long at 14 in 1988-89.

– Ware’s third defensive rebound moved him past Kurt Thomas for fourth place on the Heat rookie single-season list.

– With Ware’s 15 rebounds tying his career high.

– Mitchell’s second 3-pointer was the 300th of his career.

– Adebayo is now three assists from moving past Goran Dragic for third place on the Heat all-time list.

– Adebayo is now six rebounds shy of 5,000 for his career.

MIAMI — Tyler Herro scored 27 second-half points, but it was not enough for the Heat as Miami fell to Memphis 110-108 on a buzzer-beating fall-away shot by Ja Morant at the Kaseya Center on Thursday night, snapping the Heat’s six-game winning streak.

The Heat tied the game with a basket by Bam Adebayo with 2:34 left in the fourth, and Davion Mitchell drained a 3-pointer with 2:01 left in the quarter to put Miami up 106-105. Jaren Jackson Jr. three pushed Memphis up by two with 1:07 left in the game, and then Herro tied the game with 13.8 seconds left.

But Morant, waiting for the final shot, sunk a last-second floater that bounced on the rim before falling.

“Just guard your yard,” said Kel’el Ware, who was guarding Morant. “He got the lucky shot.”

Said coach Erik Spoelstra: “We feel fully comfortable with Kel’el guarding a lot of different kinds of players, especially in an iso situation, but not on an island. That’s probably the biggest takeaway.”

Adebayo got off to the best start to a game in his career, scoring the game’s first nine points. He scored 12 points in the game’s first four minutes, but he did not score again until the final minute of the second quarter.

Adebayo’s early scoring gave the Heat a quick 9-0 lead, and the Grizzlies did not score until 9:35 in the first quarter. But Memphis battled back, taking its first lead of the game late in the first half. A free throw by Ware put Miami back ahead to end the first half.

Miami trailed by eight midway through the third quarter, but Herro keyed a quick Heat comeback. Miami quickly evened the score at 70 on a pair of 3-pointers by Herro and Ware (who also had a dunk in the 8-0 run).

The teams traded the lead throughout the second half, combining for 19 lead changes. But ultimately the Grizzlies got the final opportunity and took advantage of it.

“We’re becoming a very tough team,” Spoelstra said. “Just three weeks ago, on the second night of a back-to-back, probably a double-digit game once they made their push.”

Five degrees of Heat from Thursday night’s game

1. Herro ball: Adebayo was Miami’s top scorer in the first half, but Herro took over the second. The sixth-year guard scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half.

Herro scored the game-tying basket with just under 14 seconds left in the game, but he did not get a chance to make a game-winner.

“He was really assertive in those moments in between,” Spoelstra said. “They did a pretty good job of pressuring him, just straight-up pick and rolls. Really physical on those and making him operate in the crowd. … Catch-and-shoots, they weren’t letting him come off the screen. Then it just shows you how diverse his skill set now is. He was doing it in all the random plays.”

2. Bam Adebayo from behind the arc: Three seasons ago, Adebayo did not make a single 3-pointer all year. Now he is in the longest 3-pointer streak of his career.

Adebayo knocked down two from beyond the arc on Thursday. It was the ninth straight game he hit a 3-pointer, which is the longest streak of his career.

3. Memphis turnovers: The Grizzlies are prone to turnovers, averaging nearly 16 per game. The Heat took advantage of that, forcing 18 and scoring 19 points off of them.

4. Duncan Robinson returns: Small forward Duncan Robinson returned from a back injury that had kept him out since March 23. Robinson scored six points in 11 minutes.

“The most important thing is he feels a lot better,” Spoelstra said. “This is not what he was dealing with last year. He was able to get some really good work in, and he creates a lot of offensive triggers for us.”

5. Ware double-double: Ware’s 13th double-double of the season pushed him closer to the Heat record. He finished the game with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Ware currently has the fourth-most double-doubles by a rookie in franchise history, trailing co-record-holders Sherman Douglas and Rony Seikaly, who both have 18. Grant Long is one ahead of Ware with 14.

Darius Johnson had 31 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists to lead UCF to a 88-80 win over Cincinnati, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Bearcats and advancing to the semifinals of the inaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament.

UCF (19-16, 7-13 Big 12) will face the winner of Villanova-USC on Saturday (FS1, 4 p.m.). Nebraska takes on Boise State in the other semi, with the championship game set for Sunday (WOFL-35, 5:30) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Johnson led four Knights in double-figures, with Tyler Hendricks scoring 14, Moustapha Thiam adding 13 and Nils Machowski with 11.

This was the second game between the teams this season, with Cincinnati (19-16, 7-13 Big 12) owning a 93-83 win at Addition Financial Arena on Feb. 5.

Johnson started strong for UCF, scoring the Knights’ first eight points and giving them an 8-3 lead before the first media timeout. Cincinnati struggled initially, missing 5 of 6 shots but rallied with a 9-3 run to narrow the gap to 13-12.

The Bearcats took their first lead at 25-24 with 6:39 left before halftime.

After two lead changes, the Knights pushed ahead 38-35 at the break.

Johnson had 13 points and 4 rebounds but 5 turnovers in the first 20 minutes, leading all scorers.

There were four lead changes in the first five minutes of the second half before UCF grabbed a 50-46 lead. Machowski scored 6 of the Knights’ 12 points during that stretch.

UCF went on a 10-0 run fueled by 8 straight points from Johnson it built its largest lead at 79-70 with 2:36 left.

Johnny Dawkins’ team finished with a 19-10 run to earn the victory.

The event features an all-expenses-paid trip for teams and provides a lucrative name, image and likeness package totaling $500,000 for the top four teams. The winner receives $300,000, the runner-up gets $100,000 and the third- and fourth-place teams earn $50,000 each.

UCF was without forward Keyshawn Hall, who entered the transfer portal last week and already committed to Auburn. Hall led the Big 12 in scoring with 18.8 points per game and started all 33 regular season games.

He was one of eight Knights players who entered the portal once the transfer window opened March 24. Guards Hendricks and Machowski also were part of that group, but Dawkins allowed them to play in the tournament.

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

By LISA MASCARO

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a long wait, the Senate is launching action on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” of tax breaks and spending cuts at a risky moment for the U.S. and global economy.

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More than a month after House Republicans surprised Washington by advancing their framework for Trump’s tax breaks and spending cuts package, Senate Republicans voted Thursday to start working on their version. The 52-48 vote sets the stage for back-to-back Senate all-nighters spilling into Friday and the weekend.

But work on the multitrillion-dollar package is coming as markets at home and abroad are on edge in the aftermath Trump’s vast tariffs scheme, complicating an already difficult political and procedural undertaking.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., opened the chamber Thursday saying they were expected to begin “as soon as today” embarking on what they hope will become the GOP’s signature domestic policy package.

Trump says he’s on board and Republicans, in control of Congress, are eager to show the party is making progress toward delivering on their campaign promises. After that, it’s still long weeks, if not months, to go toward a final product.

Democrats, as the minority party, don’t have the votes to stop the GOP plan. But they intend to use the procedural tools available to prolong the process. Democrats argue that Republicans are focusing on tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense of the programs and services millions of Americans rely on for help with health care, child care, school lunches and other everyday needs.

“They’re mean, they’re nasty, they’re uncaring,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said about the Republicans.

Senate Democrats are ready to spend the night and day ahead with floor debates over potential GOP cuts to Medicaid, veterans programs, DOGE cuts and the impact of Trump’s tariffs. “We, tonight and tomorrow, are going to show just who they are,” Schumer said.

Fundamental to the Senate package is making sure Trump’s first-term tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year, are continued and made a permanent fixture of the tax code. The senators also will consider adding Trump’s proposed tax cuts on tipped wages, Social Security income and others.

The Senate package also would bolster border security funds by some $175 billion to carry out Trump’s mass deportation campaign, which is running short of cash, and it would add national security funds for the Pentagon — all priorities the Senate GOP tucked into an earlier version that was panned by House Republicans.

What’s unclear is how it will all be paid for, since Republican deficit hawks typically require spending offsets to help defray the lost tax revenue and avoid piling onto the nation’s $36 trillion debt load.

While House Republicans approved their package with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and up to $2 trillion in spending cuts, the Senate Republicans are taking a different tack.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham is making the case that since the existing Trump tax breaks are the current policy, they are not considered new, and do not need to be offset with reductions in spending — an approach Democrats compare to “going nuclear” with the normal rules. Democrats are vowing to put the strategy to the test before the Senate parliamentarian.

Instead, Senate Republicans are considering offsets mostly for any new Trump tax breaks. Raising alarms from the most conservative budget hawks, the senators have set a floor of about $4 billion in budget reductions to health and other programs — a fraction of the package’s expected $4 trillion-plus price tag for tax breaks.

GOP leaders are assuring the deficit hawks within their own ranks that the legislation says the cuts can rise to as much as $2 trillion.

After an expected Friday night vote-a-rama, with dozens of amendments being offered to the package, the senators are planning to stay into Saturday if needed to take a final vote to approve it, sending it to the House for action.

The House and Senate will ultimately need to merge their frameworks into a final product, expected in May, but House Speaker Mike Johnson’s intention to have it all wrapped up by Memorial Day could prove optimistic.

The political environment is uncertain, and the public’s appetite for steep budget cuts is being tested in real time, with Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency headed by billionaire Elon Musk blazing through federal offices, firing thousands of workers and shuttering long-running government mainstays — from scientific research projects on diseases to educational services for schoolchildren to offices that help with Social Security, tax filing and the weather.

At the same time, the staunchest fiscal conservatives in both the House and Senate, many aligned with the Freedom Caucus, are pushing for even more cuts.

Trump told senators publicly and privately this week he would have their backs, particularly when it comes to standing up for the spending reductions. At a White House announcing the tariffs Wednesday, Trump said the Senate plan had his “complete and total support.”

The president’s steep tariffs threw the global economy into a tailspin Thursday, with stocks down around the world, the U.S. markets leading the way.

Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

General Daily Insight for April 04, 2025

Seeds are being planted in every moment. Disciplined Saturn supports changeable Uranus, opening us to long-term possibilities and more mature mindsets. Motivating Mars adds more fuel to the fire as it boosts Uranus, and the drive that we feel to make concrete progress might surprise us. As Mars trines Saturn at 9:08 pm EDT, they bring everything together to open yet another channel for this grounded, yet powerful energy to push us toward new heights. We’re creating a foundation that can be built on.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Changing living situations can be a good thing. It’s a great time to make long-term plans when it comes to your housing situation, whether that means losing or gaining roommates, moving in with a lover, or finding a better place to stay. Upgrades to your current living situation are also likely to bring satisfaction that lasts, particularly since bigger projects that start today are more likely to succeed. Your family might even help you if you reach out. Level up your lifestyle!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

This is your chance to branch out. You might discover a talent that you never expected to have or find a new passion in a sport that’s recently been invented. Attempting to develop such an unfamiliar endeavor could look like a big undertaking — maybe you’re worried that there isn’t space in your life for such additions. Any delight you find in it shouldn’t be ignored! Instead of running back to what you’ve always done in the past, give this a genuine try.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Opportunities for creating a steadier future are opening up. Crafting a secure foundation for yourself is a great idea, whether it’s more of a safety net when it comes to your finances or something as simple as increasing your confidence. The universe is spotlighting your work, acting as a scaffolding while you champion a cause close to your heart or market for your side hustle. Regardless, you can make the most of this motivational energy by prioritizing efforts to improve your life.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Friendship may blossom in unlikely places. You could be looking for a community, but not really sure where you will find it, when suddenly someone appears with the know-how to guide you in the direction of progress. With them, you can access less familiar sides of yourself. This person should be driven, but kind, the sort of friend who’ll encourage you to love and express yourself. Make sure that you’re open to meeting people, because you might just make a wonderful friend.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Changes can boost your work life. You may notice improvements to your workplace being put in place, or you could be offered a position that provides you with more opportunity or security than your previous one. If you aren’t actively working, your reputation could be noticeably boosted. Let such developments excite you rather than intimidate you, even if they happen with little warning. This is a great moment to reach out and start bold conversations that could lead to career growth.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Knowledge is power — but you already know that, Virgo! Take advantage of any opportunities to expand your skills, learn about a subject that interests you, or travel to a place you’ve always wanted to go. These goals will take time and dedication to bring into reality, but every journey begins with a single step. Today, you can take that first step along this untrodden journey. You never know where you might end up with an open mind and a round-trip ticket.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

You’re changing how you grasp connections. Even if you were convinced that you had to act perfectly straightaway to be truly well-matched to someone else, in reality, it takes time to genuinely get to know anyone else. Feeling as though you have to know everything immediately, whether they’re a friend, a lover, or a business partner, is unrealistic. True positive connections are built through learning more about each other and sharing experiences over time, and every relationship has to start somewhere! Give yourself some time.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Someone in your life may be showing true change. They should be taking steps to show you that they’re not all talk, demonstrating that their intentions are genuine and they want to show up as a better person in your life as well as their own. This may come after a conversation that the two of you had to discuss their behavior, especially if it affected your connection. This shift is necessary to continue together. Let them have a chance to try.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Routine can shape your life. You may have noticed that something that you’re doing every day is having a net negative effect on your life. Don’t worry — changing how you interact with this habit on a daily basis can put you on a far greater trajectory. It might seem like a small change at first, but it will likely have long-lasting effects that could benefit you in ways that you can’t currently fathom. Don’t let any mindless habits get the best of you.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Changing your perspective might alter how others see you. As of right now, they may feel that you’re focused on the wrong priorities in life — that said, how someone else perceives you isn’t necessarily a reason to change your perspective. You’re meant to be paying attention to what makes you happy. If you’re too focused on other matters, you’ll end up drifting away from fulfillment instead of driving toward it. When you’re headed toward joy, you’ll be able to see the difference.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

You’re able to utilize innovative sources of revenue. Your peers are likely excited to work with you, and you might have a side hustle that’s ready to go as soon as you’re ready to start. What’s holding you back? You may be afraid of allowing your life to change, which is valid, but must be overcome. The comforts of familiarity do not outweigh the benefits of positive change. Taking precautions against risks is wise, but don’t stand still because you’re afraid of flying.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

How you speak about yourself may be changing. Ask yourself if you’ve been engaging in demeaning self-talk — are the things you say about yourself words that you would ever say about another person? If not, something ought to shift. There’s no need to be hard on yourself. Quite the opposite! Do your best to be kind to yourself and find a way to see your efforts in the same compassionate light that you see those of others. Remember, you’re a person, too!

By MOLLY QUELL and MICHELE NOVAGA

LISSE, Netherlands (AP) — Nestled among tulip fields not far from Amsterdam, the world-famous Keukenhof garden has opened for the spring, welcoming camera-wielding visitors to its increasingly selfie-friendly grounds.

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On a sunny day, the paths, park benches and cafes are crowded with tourists taking photos and selfies with one of the Netherlands’ most iconic products — the tulip. Those kinds of pics, posted on social media, are what drew Austrian lawyer Daniel Magnus.

“Whenever you see the kind of pictures which were taken from an influencer, they make something with you. You get a new impression of new locations, traditions, people and so on …. You want also to be there,” Magnus told The Associated Press.

Magnus had just finished taking his own photos on a small boat, staged in one of the park’s canals for visitors to take their own Instagrammable images.

Staff plant and nurture a staggering 7 million flower bulbs to ensure visitors who flock to the Keukenhof from around the world all get to see a vibrant spectacle during the just eight weeks the garden is open.

In recent years, the garden has increasingly catered to the public’s thirst for social media content and created spaces where guests are encouraged to pose.

Selfie spots include flower archways, pink velvet couches and another Dutch classic – oversized wooden clogs.

The Keukenhof’s own social media channels have some suggestions about the best locations and the Dutch tourism board even advises on how to get the perfect tulip selfie.

“Make your image come alive and place the subject of your photo slightly off-centre. This will make your photo look more dynamic,” the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions says.

The Keukenhof garden’s more than 1 million expected visitors don’t need too much encouragement to snap pics among the tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and myriad other flowers. The blossoms are meticulously handplanted throughout its manicured lawns by a small army of gardeners.

An employee plants tulips at the Keukenhof flower garden in Lisse, Netherlands, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Molly Quell)

“There’s always something blooming. I think that’s the reason why everyone is happy. There’s also always something to see,” gardener Patrick van Dijk told the AP.

Not everyone is always happy with tourists taking photos. Some flower farmers have put up signs and barriers to deter aspiring influencers from trampling tulips in nearby fields.

Italian tulips

Tulip fields have started becoming a popular draw elsewhere in Europe. Dutchman Edwin Koeman, who comes from a family of tulip bulb traders, started growing the flowers after moving to an area north of Milan with his family.

“The land here is good. It’s more the climate which is very different to Holland,” Koeman said in an interview on his field in the small Italian town of Arese. “Here, the winter is a bit shorter, we have more sunshine. But for our work, it’s good because it rains just enough in the winter and in the spring. And now in the spring, most of the time it’s sunny, so people like to come to our field.”

Last year, his field had a record of 50,000 visitors, many enjoying the chance to pick tulips themselves to fill their baskets. They’ve started arriving this year and, on April 1, Viola Guidi was among those picking through Koeman’s field.

“Every year I come here together with my friends, even several times,” she said. “Usually we have to hurry, because the best flowers are all picked within a few weeks. We managed to come close to the opening, a week later. This time it worked out really well for me. It’s beautiful.”

Italy grows 43 million tulips, exporting almost one-third of them, according to Nada Forbici, national coordinator of the Coldiretti floriculture council. Exports are aimed mainly at northern Europe, especially Netherlands, she said.

Novaga reported from Arese, Italy.

By CEDAR ATTANASIO and JULIE WALKER

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City’s “bodega cats” are beloved fixtures in the Big Apple — but they’re on the wrong side of the law.

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The convenience store cats that live at many of the city’s bodegas and delis look innocent enough, spending their days lounging in sun-soaked storefronts or slinking between shelves of snack foods as they collect friendly pets from customers.

Officially, though, state law bars most animals from stores that sell food, with bodega owners potentially facing fines if their tabby is caught curling up near the tins of tuna and toilet paper.

The pets’ precarious legal position recently came into the spotlight again when a petition circulated online that advocated for the city to shield bodega cat owners from fines, racking up more than 10,000 signatures.

But inspecting bodegas is a state responsibility. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said in a statement that its goal is to ensure compliance with food safety laws and regulations, though it noted that inspectors aim to offer “educational resources and corrective action timelines and options” before looking at fines.

Many fans argue that the cats actually help keep the stores clean by deterring other ubiquitous New York City creatures, like rodents and cockroaches.

However, some shopkeepers say the felines’ most important job is bringing in customers.

At one bodega in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a fluffy gray and white cat named Mimi has become even more of a star attraction after a customer posted a video of her to TikTok that was viewed over 9 million times.

Sydney Miller, the customer who shared the video, said the experience has helped her build a lasting rapport with Mimi’s caretaker, Asam Mohammad, a Yemeni immigrant who has only been in the U.S. for a few years.

“Ultimately, the cats are a symbol of community building and the special, unique type of connection that happens in a city like New York,” said Miller, a poet and digital content producer.

Mohammad said that one of Mimi’s offspring, a white furball named Lily, is also now a big hit with customers.

“He’ll play with anybody,” said Mohammad. “Before, it’s Mimi, but now all of them are famous.”

Another of Mimi’s kittens, Lionel, has taken up residence at a nearby bodega owned by the same family, where he is more than a salesman or a pest control technician.

On a recent evening, Mohammad’s cousin Ala Najl, who is Muslim, had been fasting for Ramadan since 5 a.m. and had another hour and 17 minutes to go. Feeling a bit restless, Najl decided to play with Lionel. He unrolled his red prayer rug, baiting the muscular cat into a friendly game of tug-of-war.

The playful tussle helped distract Najl as he fought through hunger pangs.

“Yes, he helps me for that,” Najl said.

At another Greenpoint bodega, shopkeeper Salim Yafai said his cat, Reilly, is so popular that one longtime customer even tried to buy him, asking Yafai for a price.

“I said $10,000. He said $1,000. I said, ‘No.’” Yafai said.

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and DIDI TANG

A notice to customers dazzled by the low-priced products on Chinese shopping apps: the days of getting trendy clothing, tools and gag gifts that cost less than lunch delivered to your door in 10 days are probably numbered.

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President Donald Trump is ending a little-known but widely used exemption that has allowed as many as 4 million low-value parcels — most of them originating in China — to arrive in the U.S. every day tax-free.

An executive order the president signed Wednesday will eliminate the “de minimis provision” for goods from China and Hong Kong on May 2. The tax exemption, which applies to packages valued at $800 or less, has helped China-founded e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu to thrive while cutting into the U.S. retail market.

“Shoppers had a full array of product and options of timing,” Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. “Now, they’re going to have a limited array of options and timing: so you can still buy this product, but you may have to wait three or four weeks.”

U.S. politicians, law enforcement agencies and business groups have described the long-standing policy as a trade loophole that gave inexpensive Chinese goods an advantage and served as a portal for illicit drugs and counterfeits to enter the country.

The sweeping tariffs Trump announced on Wednesday also aim to end the duty-free exception for all imported goods worth less than $800, but only when the U.S. government has the personnel in place to process parcels from every country.

What will be the effect on prices and shipping times?

A White House fact sheet said small packages of Chinese products sent through the international postal network will be subject to a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item, an amount that will increase to $50 per item after June 1.

Commercial carriers such as FedEx and UPS will be required to report shipment details and remit the appropriate duties to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to the White House. After Trump’s latest round of tariffs, the tariff rate for Chinese products will be at least 54%.

Supporters of the de minimis exception have argued that its elimination would drive up costs and hurt low-income consumers and small businesses.

The tariff costs threaten to deal a blow to the U.S. operations of companies like Shein and Temu, which rapidly expanded in the U.S. using the de minimis provision to deliver ultra-cheap fast fashion items from China.

FILE – Pages from the Shein website, left, and from the Temu site, right, are shown in this photo, in New York, June 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, FIle)

However, it’s unclear what impact the loss of the tax exemption will have on the two online retailers, as well as on American companies like Amazon and Walmart, whose platforms include virtual marketplaces where international sellers offer products.

Shein and Temu already have been building warehouses in the U.S. so they could get orders to U.S. shoppers more quickly. Shein recently opened a fulfillment and logistics hub in the Seattle area. Neither company could be reached for comment Thursday.

Ram Ben Tzion, chief executive officer of the digital vetting platform Publican, said he expected the companies to “be forced to rethink their business strategy and possibly explore opting out of the U.S. market.”

In an emailed statement to AP, FedEx said it would support its customers to adapt to the new regulatory requirements and said it would be important for shippers to have “paperwork completed correctly ahead of pick-up” for shipments to move smoothly.

Hilton Beckham, an assistant commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the federal agency was ready to implement the latest tariffs.

“Our automated systems are fully updated to capture, assess, and administer all new duties, and clear guidance will be provided to support uniform enforcement across the nation,” Beckham said.

Ben Tzion, of Publican, said he would “highly doubt” the U.S. government was ready to process the huge number of low-value shipments to be taxed starting next month.

The Hong Kong government said the HongKong Post would “temporarily maintain” postal services to the U.S through May 2 but “will not collect any so-called tariffs on behalf of the U.S. authorities.”

What is the de minimis provision?

Introduced in 1938, the de minimis exception was intended to facilitate the flow of small packages valued at no more than $5, the equivalent of about $109 today. The threshold increased to $200 in 1994 and $800 in 2016. But the rapid rise of cross-border e-commerce, driven by China, has challenged the intent of the decades-old customs exception rule.

Souvenir apparel vendor Duane Jackson completes a sale of “Make America Great Again” caps, that are made in China, at his location in New York’s Times Square, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Chinese exports of low-value packages soared to $66 billion in 2023, up from $5.3 billion in 2018, according to a February report by the Congressional Research Service. And the U.S. market has been a major destination.

The Chinese government, which sees cross-border e-commerce as a critical part of its foreign trade, has introduced favorable policies, including financial support and infrastructure building, to foster its growth.

Former President Joe Biden proposed a rule last year that said foreign companies can’t avoid tariffs simply by shipping goods that they claim to be worth $800 or less. Trump tried in February to end the exception but his initial order was called off within days when it appeared the U.S. was not prepared to process and collect tariffs on the millions of parcels.

U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut, said she was pleased Trump acted a second time to eliminate the rule.

“For too long, this customs loophole has let foreign exporters flood our market with cheap goods and helped drug traffickers move fentanyl past our borders — resulting in factory closures, job losses, and deaths,” DeLauro said.

An explosion of cheap goods

In 2023, for the first time, more than 1 billion such packages came through U.S. customs, up from 134 million in 2015. By the end of last year, Customs and Border Protection said it was processing about 4 million small shipments a day.

The cheap prices and increasing popularity of Shein and Temu squeezed fast-fashion retailers like Forever 21 and H&M. Forever 21 blamed the tax exemption in part for its decision to file for bankruptcy last month and close its U.S. stores,

“We have been unable to find a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast-fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin,” Chief Financial Officer Brad Sell said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Amazon launched late last year a low- cost online storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced under $20, in an apparent effort to compete with Temu and Shein. Amazon shipped the products to U.S. customers from a warehouse it operates in China, according to documentation the company provided to sellers.

By SEUNG MIN KIM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed a proposal that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy, rather than in person.

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Trump’s position, articulated to reporters on Air Force One on Thursday, puts him at odds with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who mounted an aggressive push to kill that effort this week but was foiled by nine of his own members, along with all Democrats.

Though the president said he would defer to Johnson on the operations of the House, he also said that “I don’t know why it’s controversial.” Trump said he had spoken to Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, the leading Republican proponent of the effort.

“You’re having a baby, I think you should be able to call in and vote,” Trump told reporters on Thursday as he traveled to Florida. “I’m in favor of that.”

Luna and Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado have led an effort that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy for 12 weeks as they care for their newborns. It has the support of the majority of the House, with 218 lawmakers signing on to a so-called discharge petition that would force the measure on the House floor for consideration.

But Johnson is an adamant opponent of casting votes by proxy, saying that doing so is an affront to the Constitution and invoked similar efforts instituted by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“It was quickly abused. Republicans put an end to it then, and we cannot allow it again,” Johnson said in a lengthy social media post this week. The speaker says he is working on “every possible accommodation” aside from being able to vote by proxy to aid new mothers in Congress.

Johnson attempted to squash the proxy effort in a dramatic floor vote earlier this week, but nine of his own Republicans joined all Democrats in rejecting his plan, 206-222. The speaker canceled House votes for the rest of the week while supporters of the proxy voting plan were undeterred and vowed to continue to push for it.

The importance of home inspections, and what to look for  nbc4i.com

The importance of home inspections, and what to look for  nbc4i.com

The importance of home inspections, and what to look for  nbc4i.com

Public lost access to funeral home inspection reports under Colorado law meant to restore trust  KUNC

Public lost access to funeral home inspection reports under Colorado law meant to restore trust  KUNC

Today is Thursday, April 3, the 93rd day of 2025. There are 272 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On April 3, 1996, Theodore Kaczynski (kah-ZIHN’-skee), also known as the Unabomber, was arrested at his remote Montana cabin by FBI agents.

Also on this date:

In 1860, the first Pony Express mail delivery rides began; one heading west from St. Joseph, Missouri, and one heading east from Sacramento, California.

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In 1882, outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed in St. Joseph, Missouri, by Robert Ford, a member of James’ gang.

In 1936, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was electrocuted in Trenton, New Jersey, for the kidnap-murder of 20-month-old Charles Lindbergh Jr.

In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Smith v. Allwright, struck down a Democratic Party of Texas rule that allowed only white voters to participate in Democratic primaries.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed into law the Marshall Plan, designed to help European allies rebuild after World War II and resist communism.

In 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. delivered what was to be his final speech, telling a rally of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, “I’ve been to the mountaintop. … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land!” (The following day, King was killed by an assassin’s bullet at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.)

In 1973, the first handheld portable telephone was demonstrated for reporters on a New York City street corner as Motorola executive Martin Cooper called Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs.

In 1974, an outbreak of tornadoes began hitting wide parts of the South and Midwest before jumping across the border into Canada; 148 tornadoes caused more than 300 fatalities in what became known as the 1974 Super Outbreak.

In 1996, a U.S. Air Force jet crashed as it approached Dubrovnik, Croatia; all 35 people on board were killed, including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown.

Today’s birthdays:

• Conservationist Jane Goodall is 91.
• Actor Marsha Mason is 83.
• Singer Wayne Newton is 83.
• Singer Tony Orlando is 81.
• Singer-songwriter Richard Thompson is 76.
• Actor Alec Baldwin is 67.
• Actor David Hyde Pierce is 66.
• Actor-comedian Eddie Murphy is 64.
• Celebrity chef Cat Cora is 58.
• Olympic skiing gold medalist Picabo Street is 54.
• Actor Jennie Garth is 53.
• Actor Adam Scott is 52.
• Football Hall of Famer Jared Allen is 43.
• Actor Cobie Smulders is 43.
• Singer Leona Lewis is 40.
• Actor-comedian Rachel Bloom is 38.

TORONTO (AP) — Mitch Marner scored the goal-ahead goal midway through the third period, Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in an Atlantic Division showdown Wednesday night.

John Tavares and Matthew Knies also scored to help division-leading Toronto wrap up a playoff spot and and move three points ahead of Tampa Bay and four in front of Florida. Marner and Knies also had assists.

Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for defending Stanley Cup champion Florida. Gustav Forsling also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots.

In the past three games, the Panthers are 0-2-1 against the Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, and play at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Takeaways

Panthers: Florida was without captain Aleksander Barkov (upper-body injury) after he was hurt Tuesday night in a 3-2 overtime loss in Montreal. The club also continues to play without star forward Matthew Tkachuk (lower-body injury) and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, (20-game suspension).

Key moment

Marner made it 2-1 with 9:10 left after Bobrovsky, who stopped Bobby McMann on a breakaway moments earlier, couldn’t squeeze the initial shot off the stick of Auston Matthews.

BOSTON — Observations and other notes of interest from Wednesday night’s 124-103 victory over the Boston Celtics:

– Yes, the goal is greater than learning experiences.

– And, yes, victories are paramount at this stage.

– But it sure helps going forward to know what you have going forward.

– That’s what made this one matter regardless of result.

– Pelle Larsson? Willing to stand up defensively to the likes of Jayson Tatum.

– Kyle Anderson? Still can slow play his way to meaningful scoring.

– Davion Mitchell? Won’t back down (even if that can be to his detriment).

– Bit players in the bigger Heat picture?

– Sure. but every team needs contributing role players.

– Particularly when confidence wanes with Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr.

– So, yes, in the midst of all the emotion of Wednesday night, still a learning experience.

– And a meaningful one for whatever comes next in the next iteration of Erik Spoelstra’s team.

– With Andrew Wiggins and Duncan Robinson again out, the Heat for the third consecutive game opened with a lineup of Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware, Alec Burks, Tyler Herro and Larsson.

– With Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford out for Boston, the Celtics opened with Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Luke Kornet.

– With Mitchell back, Spoelstra got back to a first substitution of Mitchell and Highsmith entering together.

– Mitchell was back after missing Monday night’s victory in Washington with a stomach illness.

– “I kind of felt it in the morning time. But what really did it is when I got on the bus,” he said of Monday’s trip to the arena. “It really started coming out, I started throwing up and I was like I can’t do it. You know what, I tried, but I just couldn’t do it.”

– He said he was not surprised teammates stepped up.

– “Honestly, I just think that anybody on this team, anybody on the bench, can play really heavy minutes on any other team,” Mitchell said. “I think that’s how good we are. We just have really good players.”

– The Heat rotation then was altered when Spoelstra lost a challenge with 5:37, leaving Adebayo with a second foul and a seat on the bench.

– Anderson then entered as the Heat’s third reserve.

– At one point in the opening period, that had the Heat with an unlikely playoff-race lineup of Ware, Highsmith, Anderson, Mitchell and Larsson.

– Even with the game the start of a back-to-back set, Spoelstra kept the rotation tight early.

– So no Rozier or Jaquez.

– Spoelstra smiled pregame when asked about having coached several Celtics in his role as an assistant with USA Basketball.

– “I mentioned to all of the Celtics from that summer, I hated myself for actually liking them,” he said. “And then admitting it, I hated myself even more. Just quality human beings, great competitors, great basketball players.”

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– Going into the game, Spoelstra said the connection within the team has been strong amid this drive to regain footing in the standings.

– “Even when we were going through those tough times, you felt like the process was getting better and the connection was getting better, where we felt like we were competing for each other and competing for something bigger than each individual,” he said after the morning shootaround.

– He continued, “Enjoying somebody else’s success and pouring life into someone else is such a big karma mover, and we needed to get the karma moving in our direction. And the guys enjoy it, they enjoy the whole experience better. I think everybody is able to see we’re able to compete at a collective level higher when those things are happening.”

– With the Celtics hoisting 3-pointers at a record pace, Spoelstra said such is the reality of today’s NBA.

– “There are other teams also that are playing similarly to that,” Spoelstra said. “They just do it more efficiently than most teams. So it’s not only that they’re getting the volume, but they hit the timely ones in those inflection moments during the course of the game.”

– He added, “I think they probably do that better than most teams. And you have to extend your defense appropriately to try to take that away.”

BOSTON — So what if this is who the Miami Heat are, or at least can be, in the post-Jimmy Butler era?

What if the 10-game losing streak was, as coach Erik Spoelstra insisted, a period of discovery?

What if from the depths of the play-in round there can be yet another postseason breakout?

Why those questions now?

Because now there has been a statement victory, one against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics.

Wednesday night the winning streak reached six with a 124-103 victory at TD Garden, a statement win even if the Celtics were without Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.

“When we were in that 10-game losing streak, you kind of look at this and we like this feeling better than the other one,” center and team captain Bam Adebayo said, with his team now on its longest winning streak of the season.

This wasn’t wiping the floor with the lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers or Washington Wizards during this streak. This wasn’t last week pushing past the perennially play-in Atlanta Hawks. This wasn’t last week beating a Golden State Warriors roster lacking Stephen Curry.

This was beating Boston with both of its best present.

“We have six games now to get ready for this second season and our locker room is alive,” Spoelstra said of the games remaining in the regular season. “It’s been alive even when we were losing games.”

So, yes, it just might be getting real, even if the standings say otherwise.

This was not only Tyler Herro with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds. It wasn’t just Adebayo with 21 points, six assists and five rebounds.

This was Spoelstra’s team playing just eight when the game was in the balance and getting the best from all eight, including a season-high19 points from Kyle Anderson and 16 points from Pelle Larsson.

For the Celtics, there were 24 points from Brown but only 16 from Tatum, who struggled to 4-of-17 shooting, largely against the defense of Larsson.

“We had a game plan, we stuck to it and we were able to control the game from the very beginning,” Herro said.

So, at 56-20, the Celtics move on to better days. But at 35-41, the Heat slowly are creating better days of their own.

Five Degrees of Heat from Wednesday night’s game:

1. Closing time: The Heat led 29-22 after the first period and 59-45 at halftime.

A wild third quarter followed, with the Heat pushing their lead to 22, the Celtics rallying within three, and the Heat then pushing back to a 91-81 lead entering the fourth.

The Celtics then made it a five-point game early in the fourth, before the Heat pushed to a 15-point lead midway through the final period.

“Well, we’ve had a lot of experience with it,” Spoelstra said of late opposing surges. “We’ve had a lot of pain with it. So we’ve had a lot of opportunities to work at it.”

From there, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla hoisted the white flag with 5:02 to play, pulling Tatum, Brown and Derrick White with his team down 111-96.

“We’ve had a lot of games to practice that,” Larsson said of finally stepping up to an opposing rally. “We’ve been in those situations and we’ve learned from it, so that’s what I’m most happy about.”

2. Adjustments required: Not only were the Heat shorthanded, but they then were forced to shuffle their rotation when Adebayo was forced to the bench with his second foul with 5:37 left in the opening period.

Spoelstra unsuccessfully challenged that second Adebayo foul, left without a challenge the balance of the night.

But even with the game opening a back-to-back set, Spoelstra kept the rotation tight, with an eight-player first-half rotation until it was decided, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Terry Rozier out of the mix.

“We’re just trying to take care of our business and continue to try to play well, compete hard, have this connectivity that’s growing as this season is going on and prepare,” Spoelstra said,

The victory pulled the Heat within one game of the No. 8 Atlanta Hawks and within 1 1/2 of the No. 7 Orlando Magic.

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3. Supporting cast: The rotation might have been tight, but it also was efficient, with contributions across the board.

Included in those efforts was rookie second-round pick Larsson helping stifle Tatum to a 1-of-10 start, Anderson providing relief points, Davion Mitchell continuing with his unexpected 3-point contributions and Haywood Highsmith contributing defense and hustle.

“I think we can compete with anybody. We’ve shown that,” Anderson said. “And the most important time of the year is coming up in two weeks, so we’ll see.”

4. Dual shorthanded: As often is the case during the waning days of the regular season, both teams were shorthanded. While the Heat were without Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and Nikola Jovic, among others, the Celtics sat Holiday, Porzingis and Horford.

“I feel like we’ve been doing the same thing,” Spoelstra said of mix-and-matchups and having to update scouting reports on the fly. “We’ve had a different lineup out there pretty frequently.

“We’re at a point of the season that who cares? We’re trying to take care of our business. We’re trying to play good basketball, do it consistently and prepare.”

The Heat did not offer an update Wednesday on Wiggins’ potential availability going forward.

5. Up next: Next up for the Heat is a three-game homestand that will go a long way toward determining their play-in seeding.

First it’s the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

As it is, the Memphis game will mark the second time this season the Heat have had to come home after a lengthy trip for the second game of a back-to-back set, having also done so against the 76ers in November.

“That doesn’t matter,” Spoelstra said. “We all have back-to-backs. We’re not afraid of those.”

Thursday concludes the Heat’s 15th and final back-to-back set of the season, with a 7-7 record on the second nights of such pairings.