Republicans have dropped Jim Jordan as their nominee for House speaker, setting them back to square one with no clear plan ahead.

Imagine it’s April 22, 2027, and we're 72 hours into a first-strike Chinese attack against Taiwan.

There has been a surge in guns being discovered at airport checkpoints.

Less than a week into major demonstrations concerning Cuba some changes are already underway.

MIAMI – The new mayor of Florida’s most populous county tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, officials said. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the test result on Twitter. He has also tested positive. “Rob and I are quarantining at home,” Levine Cava wrote. Levine Cava’s predecessor, Congressman-elect Carlos Gimenez, tested positive for coronavirus last week.

Arizona on Saturday reported 4,136 additional known COVID-19 cases and 36 more deaths. The total number of coronavirus cases in Oregon has now surpassed 72,000 and the death toll stands at 896. ___CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada on Saturday reported nearly 3,000 additional known COVID-19 cases as related hospitalizations continued in large numbers. Seven-day rolling averages of daily new cases, daily deaths and COVID-19 testing positivity in Arizona all increased in the past two weeks. In Tokyo, daily cases have totaled more than 500 recently, raising alarm about a third wave of infections.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois has risen above 12,000 deaths from COVID-19, while also surpassing the 700,000 mark for confirmed coronavirus infections. The Health Department said the situation constituted an “alert,” and said that nationwide, infections had risen by over 8% last week. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have asked the FDA to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The state health department reported 5,704 new cases on Friday, putting the state at 3,476 deaths and 295,001 cases since March. ___TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he expects more than half of Canadians to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by next September.

A couple walks along the beach during a downpour, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, on Miami Beach, Florida's famed South Beach. A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta cut across Cuba on Sunday, and forecasters say it's likely to be a hurricane before hitting the Florida Keys Sunday night or Monday. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Elsewhere, forecasters announced that Subtropical Storm Theta, a record-breaking 29th named storm of the 2020 hurricane season, had formed far out in the northeast Atlantic by late Monday night. Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys and posed a serious threat across South Florida, which was already drenched from more than 14 inches (35 centimeters) of rain last month. “Never seen this, never, not this deep,” said Anthony Lyas, who has lived in his now-waterlogged Fort Lauderdale neighborhood since 1996. It was the 28th named storm of a busy Atlantic hurricane season, tying the 2005 record for named storms. ___Associated Press writers Cody Jackson in Fort Lauderdale, Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, and Haleluya Hadero in Atlanta contributed to this report.

She soundly defeated Tipton, a co-chair of President Donald Trump’s Colorado reelection campaign, in the Republican primary in June. Republican state Sen. Stephanie Bice earned a reputation as a political moderate in her two terms in the Oklahoma Senate. ___11:20 p.m. TuesdayRepublican Maria Elvira Salazar has defeated Democrat Donna Shalala for a House seat in Florida. Republican Ronny Jackson has won a House seat in West Texas, where he moved after leaving the White House in 2018. The solidly Republican district is currently held by Mac Thornberry, one of six GOP congressmen in Texas retiring this year.

U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, an Oklahoma City lawyer, faced Republican state Sen. Bice for the Oklahoma City-area House seat. President Donald Trump supported Mace on Twitter and she once worked on the president’s campaign. Fischbach contended that Peterson was too close to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other liberals. Republican Ronny Jackson has won a House seat in West Texas, where he moved after leaving the White House in 2018. They are banking on anxiety over the pandemic, suburban indignation with President Donald Trump and a fundraising advantage.

Though they seemed likely to retain House control, their performance was an unexpected disappointment for the party, which hoped for modest gains of perhaps 15 seats. Democrats control the House 232-197, with five open seats and one independent. By retaining House control, Democrats would mark only the second time in a quarter century that they've led the chamber for two consecutive two-year Congresses. She declared that Democrats had won the House majority, which seemed highly likely but hadn’t been officially declared by The Associated Press. “House Republicans have outperformed all expectations," said Dan Conston, who heads the Congressional Leadership Fund, a committee aligned with House GOP leaders that provides millions to Republican candidates.

— District 3: Republican Kat Cammack has won Florida’s U.S. House seat held by her former boss, retiring Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho. He defeated Democrat Donna Deegan, a former television news anchor who has worked to raise money for breast cancer research and to help patients. — District 15: Republican Scott Franklin has won Florida Rep. Ross Spano’s seat in the U.S. House. Deutch was first elected in 2010 and represents a firmly Democratic district that includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. A supermajority of Florida voters approved the amendment to the Florida Constitution that will raise Florida’s minimum wage from the current $8.56 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026.

OPA-LOCKA, Fla. – President Donal Trump ended a long day of campaigning Sunday shortly before midnight, appearing before South Florida supporters chanting “Fire Fauci." He said he appreciated their advice, “Don’t tell anybody but let me wait until a little bit after the election." He has previously expressed that he was concerned about the political blowback of removing the popular and respected doctor before Election Day. In the starkest terms yet, Trump on Sunday threatened litigation to stop the tabulation of ballots arriving after Election Day. There was concern Sunday night’s event would conflict with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez' midnight countywide curfew.

LIV owner David Grutman poses for a photograph at the nightclub, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. LIV, one of Miami's most glamorous, star-studded nightclubs sits empty and quiet these days, a casualty of both the coronavirus outbreak and a power struggle between state and local government over how to contain the scourge. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The parties at the club are so legendary they have inspired lyrics from Drake, Kanye West and Rick Ross. Today, LIV sits quiet and empty — a casualty not just of the coronavirus outbreak but of a power struggle between state and local government over how to contain the scourge. “I cried real tears,” the 46-year-old Grutman said of his last visit to the shuttered club and nightlife's seemingly bygone era. Grutman has fielded countless calls from DJs begging to be the first when the club reopens. Others have asked to host Zoom parties from LIV, but Grutman just isn't into it.

WASHINGTON – Billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is donating $500,000 to juice Democratic turnout in Miami-Dade County, a place where the party must bank a massive number of votes if it hopes to win the pivotal swing state of Florida. The money will be used to register Miami-Dade voters and knock on doors. In a statement, Bloomberg highlighted the importance of Miami-Dade County. “As one of the most diverse counties in Florida, Miami-Dade County is a particularly important county for a Democratic victory in Florida,” he said. “I’m glad to support the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee’s work to directly reach voters and urge them to cast their ballots."

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Concern that there may not be a decision on election night is putting a new focus on congressional elections in Florida and elsewhere. If no presidential candidate receives 270 electoral votes, the ultimate decision would be up to the U.S. House of Representatives. Florida has 14 Republican and 13 Democratic members of the U.S. House. But the most vulnerable is House District 26, which is held by U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat. The Florida House went so far as to name GOP electors just in case Florida’s election outcome and the outcome of the race were still tied up in court.

Since March 1, Florida has had more than 14,500 deaths from the pandemic, ranking 12th per capita among states. Sunday’s increase of 1,844 new COVID-19 cases is the fourth time in eight days the daily caseload has been under 2,000. There were, however, 47 deaths connected to COVID-19 reported by the state on Sunday -- five of them in Northeast Florida. Though Florida’s governor generally wears a mask when arriving at public appearances and has allowed municipalities to impose mask rules, he has declined to impose a statewide mandate. Store managers told him some customers have been defying their mask rules after DeSantis’ new order and he hasn’t seen any local enforcement in the past week.

Ron DeSantis on Friday announced that two large South Florida counties will move into the next phase of reopening. DeSantis said Miami-Dade County and Broward County will move into Phase 2 of reopening starting Monday. This is really, really important. “With a transition of our county to Phase 2 effective Monday, that lifts a huge roadblock that has prevented us from taking additional steps,” Carvalho said. Over 236,000 total people in Miami-Dade and Broward conties have reported positive coronavirus tests over the last six months, according to state data.

MIAMI The Miami Dolphins will allow up to 13,000 socially distancing fans to attend their home opener against Buffalo on Sept. 20, a decision that divided political leaders and upset Bills coach Sean McDermott. The same plan will be followed for the University of Miami's home opener against UAB at the Dolphins' stadium on Sept. 10. South Florida remains a hot spot for the virus, and not all reaction to the Dolphins' plan was favorable. As of now, the Bills don't plan to allow spectators at their home games. According to the Dolphins' 46-page plan for crowds, fans and stadium employees will be required to wear masks when not eating or drinking.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. With days until the school year begins in many Florida districts, lawyers are fighting to kill a statewide emergency order that requires all schools to provide an in-person learning option five days a week. The Florida Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, and five other plaintiffs are asking a judge to halt the order through a temporary injunction and allow districts to move to full-virtual learning until they deem it safe to reopen. Ron DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Department of Education and the Florida Board of Education. RELATED: Attorneys challenge state order requiring brick-and-mortar learning optionSince the lawsuit was filed, Miami-Dade Countys school district submitted its reopening plan to the FDOE, a plan that involves starting the school year with 100-percent virtual learning. The FEA lawsuit claims the order unfairly threatens to slash funding for any districts that dont comply.

Zoos and aquariums from Florida to Alaska are struggling financially because of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. Greece has 4,587 total confirmed cases and 206 deaths, with no deaths reported Saturday. With five more deaths, the total confirmed deaths in Italy reached more than 35,000 on Saturday. More than 5,200 of the South Koreas 14,336 confirmed virus cases have been linked to the church. In China's semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong, infections continue to surge, with more than 100 new cases reported Saturday.

In South Korea, prosecutors arrested the elderly leader of a secretive religious sect linked to more than 5,200 of the country's approximately 14,300 confirmed cases. But it will continue to allow several international carriers from the United States, Europe and the Middle East to operate special flights to evacuate stranded nationals. The country is not permitting general travel to and from the countries, which include the United States and Brazil. A scientist advising the British government on the coronavirus pandemic says pubs in England may have to be closed to allow schools to reopen in September. The debate over school openings came as Dr. Anthony Fauci dismissed a tweet by President Donald Trump claiming the U.S. global lead in coronavirus cases is because of increased testing.

Ron DeSantis issued state of emergency orders Friday for all counties on Florida’s Atlantic coast -- from the Keys to Nassau County -- as Hurricane Isaias drenched the Bahamas and remained on a track for at least a brush with Florida. “Our sites, because they’re outdoors with tents, if it were to get 40-, 50-mile-per-hour winds, it would just collapse,” he said. Mayor Carlos Gimenez said the county has 20 evacuation centers on standby that could be set up with COVID-19 safety measures. “We still don’t think there is a need to open shelters for this storm but they are ready,” he said. Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph on Friday and it was expected to remain a hurricane through Sunday as it moves north along or just off the Florida coast according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

MIAMI Miami-Dade County plans to start aggressively enforcing rules designed to combat the rapidly spreading coronavirus. Our people are going to go everywhere.Gimenez noted that because people, and especially younger people, have not been following the new normal" guidelines, the county needed another enforcement tool. In Miami-Dade County, which is Florida's most populous and the current epicenter of the outbreak, there were more than 3,100 new coronavirus cases reported on Thursday. Gimenez said it's time for repercussions for people who choose to disobey the rules, the Miami Herald reported. Violators who receive the civil fines can avoid financial hardship by serving community service hours through the countys Diversion Program.

Ron DeSantis told reporters at a Miami news conference that a supply of remdesivir had been sent to several hospitals across the state. We will stand by our fellow Americans every step of the way as our nation fights COVID-19 together.Remdesivir is an experimental drug being used to treat COVID-19 patients. The supply shortage comes as Florida hospitals face record numbers of COVID-19 admissions. The Florida Department of Health also notified hospitals July 1 that the remdesivir supply was exhausted and temporarily shut down the portal hospitals used to request the drug. Migoya said Jackson, a major public hospital, had 400 patients with COVID-19 as of Monday, up from 200 about a month ago.

MIAMI Health experts in Miami said Monday that South Floridas outbreak of COVID-19 is similar to the outbreak that was first seen in Wuhan, China, the city where the pandemic began. Miami is now the epicenter for the virus, said Lilian M. Abbo, M.D., an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Miami Health System, according to WPLG. The state now reports 282,435 cases -- thats double the number from June 28, just 15 days ago. The county has had 1,143 reported coronavirus-related deaths since the outbreak began, the highest total in the state, WPLG reported. The Miami health experts stressed the need to restrict large gatherings of people in indoor spaces, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said the biggest thing that needs to be done is residents following the safety guidelines.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Monday that the closure will take effect Wednesday and will also include banquet halls and short-term vacation rentals like those available on Airbnb. Like much of the state, Miami-Dade's restaurants had reopened with restrictions in mid-May, while gyms reopened about a month ago. Gimenez blamed his county's spike on young adults going to restaurants and other indoor gathering spots without wearing masks and not practicing social distancing. Part of the reason for the spike is more people are being tested: 45,000 a day, about double the figure of a month ago. A month ago, the state was averaging about 1,500 new coronavirus cases a day.

MIAMI The coronavirus pandemic is roiling the seas at Port Miami. The Miami Herald reports that while some terminal construction has continued amid the pandemic, much of the $7 billion passenger cruise economy associated with PortMiami is drydocked, as is the $2 billion the industry generates at Port Everglades. In November, PortMiami bustled with construction workers building five new cruise terminals and two cruise company headquarters. Fiscal year 2020 was set to break the ports 2019 record of 6.8 million passengers, up 22 percent from 2018. Mayor Carlos Gimenez has waived berthing fees totaling around $8 million from mid-March through mid-June to support the industry.

(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)JOHANNESBURG South Africa has announced another record daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases with 9,064, as Africas most developed country shows signs of strain in coping with the pandemic. The African continent overall has more than 433,000 confirmed virus cases. Gavin Newsom is warning local elected officials that they risk losing state funding if they dont enforce health orders as the coronavirus pandemic worsens. The tribe reported 64 new confirmed coronavirus cases Friday and two more deaths. The holiday beach closures began Friday from Los Angeles County northward through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

A new county order also closes casinos, strip clubs, movie theaters, the zoo and other entertainment venues a month after they were allowed to reopen. Florida reported 341 new hospital admissions of COVID-19 patients on Friday, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began. The county's latest statistics showed more than 1,400 COVID patients in Miami hospitals, including 306 in intensive care, occupying about 73% of the ICU beds that would be otherwise available. Florida's health department releases a daily cumulative tally of new hospitalizations of people who test positive for the virus, but doesn't provide statewide numbers of COVID-19 patients currently in hospitals, ICU beds or on ventilators. Statewide, about 20% of ICU beds are currently available, though some hospitals have additional capacity that can be turned into ICU units if need be.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Fourth of July holiday weekend began Saturday with some sobering numbers in the Sunshine State: Florida logged a record number of people testing positive for the coronavirus. The latest count brings the total number of cases in the state to 190,052. Municipalities elsewhere in South Florida, from Vero Beach to Broward County, did the same. As many as 10 other firefighters for the Reedy Creek Improvement District are in quarantine, said Tim Stromsnes, an official with the Reedy Creek Fire Rescue IAFF Local 211. How is Reedy Creek going to protect visitors? Stromsnes said.

Miami-Dade County now has 37,961 confirmed cases and 1,000 deaths, the state Department of Health reported on its website Wednesday. Health officials reported 6,500 new cases statewide, bringing the total to 158,997 and 3,550 deaths. State and hospital officials have tried to calm fears about the rising numbers, saying the most recent cases appear to involve mostly younger people suffering less acute symptoms. Still, the number of patients requiring ventilators in Miami-Dade County has steadily increased from 60 two weeks ago to 118 on Wednesday, according to Miami-Dade figures posted by the county online. In Miami-Dade County, about 19% of ICU beds are still available.

The count of new confirmed infections, provided by Johns Hopkins University, eclipsed the previous high of 36,400, set on April 24, during one of the deadliest stretches. Newly reported cases per day have risen on average about 60% over the past two weeks, according to an Associated Press analysis. The virus is blamed for about 125,000 deaths and nearly 2.5 million confirmed infections nationwide, by Johns Hopkins' count. Republican Gov. For the second time in a week, Tennessee reported its biggest one-day jump in confirmed infections, with more than 1,400, but Republican Gov.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. In parts of Florida, people under the age of 35 are testing positive for the coronavirus at a higher rate since the pandemic began, contributing to a recent surge in the number of cases in the state, officials said Wednesday. He's also crafting a second ordinance that would require residents to wear masks when inside businesses or other public spaces. But the rate of positive tests also has been ticking upward in recent days, raising alarm. As of Wednesday, Florida has reported 80,109 positive tests out of 1,460,309 tests conducted since the pandemic began, giving a positivity rate of 5.5%, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Associated Press writers Michael Schneider in Orlando, Florida, and Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.

Both tribal casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, closed since March 17, opened despite opposition from Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has been constrained when dealing with the sovereign tribal nations that own two of the world's largest casinos. In Florida, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez took to social media after the tribal casino Miccosulkee Resort & Gaming reopened early. That same tribe resisted pleas from state and local officials in late March to close entirely, as other tribal casinos, restaurants, movie theaters, parks and beaches had. As of Tuesday, the American Gaming Association website identified 280 tribal casinos that have so far reopened, while 244 remained closed.

Also in Fort Lauderdale, the state attorney's office fired a prosecutor Monday for calling demonstrators animals" at the zoo in a quickly deleted Facebook post. Maglione said Pohorence's actions will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before an internal investigation is conducted. But he said Pohorence's actions could have added to what was going on," and he commended Officer Krystle Smith who pushed Pohorence away from the woman. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he felt the Pohorences actions were offensive, and hes happy the department has suspended him. ___Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami; Freida Frisaro Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Tamara Lush in Tampa, Florida; and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this report.

Also in Fort Lauderdale, the state attorney's office fired a prosecutor Monday for calling demonstrators animals" at the zoo in a quickly deleted Facebook post. Maglione said Pohorence's actions will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before an internal investigation is conducted. But he said Pohorence's actions could have added to what was going on," and he commended Officer Krystle Smith who pushed Pohorence away from the woman. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he felt the Pohorences actions were offensive, and hes happy the department has suspended him. ___Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami; Freida Frisaro Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Tamara Lush in Tampa, Florida; and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this report.

KEY LARGO, Fla. The Florida Keys reopened for visitors Monday after the tourist-dependent island chain was closed for more than two months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As the Keys took down barriers, Miami-Dade County decided to keep its beaches closed because of protests in South Florida and across the country over the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Since March 22, the Keys have been closed to nonresidents who dont work or own property in the county. Visitors at the Winter Haven, Florida, theme park were being screened for illness, and were encouraged to wear masks and bring credit cards since the theme park had gone cashless. Still, hotels were reopening in the Miami area with restrictions, including a requirement that guests wear masks except inside their rooms.

The results of more than 35,000 COVID-19 tests ordered by Florida-based health care system and performed by a third-party lab are unreliable, with the majority of the questionable tests having been conducted in Florida, the company said Saturday. According to AdventHealth, a faith-based health care system, the situation has created unacceptable delays." The tests were a mixture of positive and negative results and some tests that hadnt been yet returned. We take our responsibility to safeguard everyone who entrusts us with their care very seriously.About 25,000 of the unreliable tests were in the central Florida area. Its the most in South Florida and second most of any long-term care facility in the state, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Health.

After nearly a month at sea and two days in port, Americans onboard the Coral Princess cruise ship are still trying to get home in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Six passengers, including one that died, were taken off the ship Saturday to receive medical treatment. On Monday, Canadian passengers were given priority disembarkation and the ship put them on chartered flights back to their country, the cruise line statement said. The 90 passengers still onboard the Coral Princess are international guests who remain on the ship because of current travel restrictions, Princess Cruises said. The disembarkation processNew restrictions were put in place just a day after the cruise ship docked.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez has ordered the cancellation of all mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic. The order comes after the mayor declared a local state of emergency. We will constantly evaluate planned mass gatherings as the situation evolves.”Gimenez said he will make future policy decisions regarding indoor events planned for more than 250 people based on federal and state health officials’ guidance. The Florida Department of Health announced the first COVID-19 case in Miami-Dade County on Wednesday night. Public health officials reported the Miami-Dade County patient is a 56-year-old man and his case is related to a recent trip.