Scientists have warned that extreme weather events like the rapidly intensifying hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico are the direct result of climate change, which will only get worse unless we urgently reduce global heat-trapping gases that are warming our planet.

For decades, the plotline for LGBTQ+ activism in the U.S. was one of advances — often slow but moving forward.

The candidates for southern Miami-Dade State Senate District 38 have a lot in common.

Never before had a Hispanic woman been elected to Congress, but that changed thanks to Ros-Lehtinen.

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla – Two years ago, there was a fierce political battle for the seat in Congress that was being vacated by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. She defeated Republican candidate Maria Elvira Salazar by 15,000 votes. She is a veteran broadcast journalist based in South Florida, with stints at Telemundo, Univision and CNN Español. She also earned a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She joined This Week in South Florida host Michael Putney to discuss the upcoming election and her plans if voted into office.

Miami Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is under investigation by the Justice Department for reportedly spending thousands of dollars in leftover campaign cash on luxury vacations and fancy hotels. FEC records show that Ros-Lehtinen spent more than $10,000 at New York’s Palace Hotel. In total, it appears that Ros-Lehtinen spent about $50,000 in campaign donations on personal expenses.. Defense attorney Jeff Weiner released a statement saying that Ros-Lehtinen is aware of the investigation and has been cooperating. The Justice Department had no comment.

MIAMI – The Department of Justice has an open investigation into former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Authorities are reportedly looking into whether the ex-South Florida Congresswoman spent campaign funds on personal expenses. Defense attorney Jeff Weiner released a statement saying that Ros-Lehtinen is aware of the investigation and has been cooperating. The statement read, in part:“We are gathering the information requested by the Department of Justice and are confident that, if bookkeeping errors were committed, they were due to negligence, and not willful or intentional misconduct.”Ros-Lehtinen represented Florida’s 27th congressional district, which includes parts of Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables and Kendall, for three decades, from 1989 to 2019.

MIAMI – The death of Fidel Castro was cause for celebration for citizens of South Florida, including community, county and city leaders who shared their thoughts on the passing of the former Cuban dictator. In a joint media conference Saturday Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Rep. Carlos Curbelo, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and former Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, spoke about Castro, who died at 90, and political prisoners on the communist Caribbean island nation. "The only thing that Fidel Castro has been successful at is staying power, period," she said. Mario Diaz-Balart spoke about the families that were displaced and people who were hurt under the Castro government. He said nature "took care" of Castro and will soon "take care" of his 85-year-old brother Raul Castro, who took over as Cuba's leader a decade ago.

New photos were released Thursday of a frail Fidel Castro during his first public appearance in nearly a year. PHOTOS: Castro makes public appearanceThe photos show the 87-year-old wrapped in a scarf and jacket, using a cane and leaning on an aide for support as he walked through the gallery. The last time Castro was seen in public was last April for a school opening. Castro is normally pictured sitting down as he was most recently photographed in December during a visit with Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet. Ramonet wrote that he saw Castro in "excellent health."