Florida's Latest News

Ron DeSantis urges ‘sustainable peace’ in Ukraine, thinks US should focus on Taiwan

As war rages in Ukraine, Ron DeSantis is calling for a “sustainable peace.”

The presidential candidate told the Wisconsin Right Now website that it was time to use American “leverage” to end the country’s continued attempts to defend territorial integrity as Russia’s invasion continues well into its second year.

“I think what we need to do is use our leverage to bring this to a sustainable peace. Because what we’re doing now is we’re depleting our reserves of weapons that’s going to make it more difficult for us to respond to events in Asia,” DeSantis said.

The Governor then said the weapons were better off in a country not currently being invaded.

“Some of these weapons were originally earmarked for Taiwan, which I do think the defense of Taiwan, you know, is a significant American interest. And so Biden’s policy is just have a lengthy war of attrition, have a blank check and I don’t think that that serves American interests,” DeSantis continued.

HCA Healthcare reports data breach, Florida patients potentially at risk

HCA Healthcare, which has 46 hospitals in Florida, announced on Monday that approximately 11 million individuals nationwide may have had their personal information compromised by an identified data leak.

The healthcare provider issued a formal statement indicating that an unidentified and unauthorized entity disclosed personal information, encompassing patient names, city, state, zip code, telephone number, date of birth, and gender, as well as service date, location, and next appointment details, on an online forum.

HCA stated that the breach appears to have originated through a theft from an external storage location exclusively used to automate the formatting of email messages and reported no disruption to ongoing medical treatment services. The provider further noted that the leak did not include social security numbers, payment information, or medical records.

The breach spans all 46 HCA hospitals within Florida and extends to more than 150 clinics, including MdNow centers owned by the provider.

Can you text behind the wheel in Florida? What the law allows may surprise you

Can drivers in Florida use their phone while stopped at a red light? At a stop sign? Behind the wheel of a self-driving car?

What to know about the state’s texting-and-driving rules:

Can you use your phone at a red light? 

Drivers can use the phone when their car is fully stopped, such as at a red light or stop sign or maybe gridlocked in traffic. But you need to put it down once the car is moving again.

Can you be pulled over for being on your phone?

Using your phone while driving is a primary offense, which means a police officer can stop you solely for that reason.

‘Unprecedented’ ocean heatwave off Florida prompts concern for coral reefs

A severe marine heatwave off the coast of Florida has brought a burst of abnormally high ocean temperatures, prompting alarms from marine scientists that the unprecedented heat could further stress an already vulnerable coral reef system.

Water temperatures offshore of Everglades National Park this week spiked to roughly 10 degrees higher than the average summer peak, with some locations approaching a blistery 97 degrees Monday afternoon.

Coral scientists worry if the heat were to stick around even a few weeks, corals could begin bleaching, or weakening, as they expel the tiny algae species living in their tissues. Even if corals don’t bleach, scientists fear, the conditions are already ripe for further stress ahead of pivotal coral spawning expected in August.

“These conditions that we’re seeing are totally extreme and not ordinary at all,” said Liv Williamson, an assistant scientist of marine biology and ecology at the University of Miami. Temperatures offshore of the keys typically peak around late August or early September, not the second week in July, she said.