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Opinion: Haiti's remarkable qualification for the 2026 soccer World Cup won't rescue it from the country's gangs — but it reminds us that Haiti undoubtedly is worth saving from that monstrous evil.Qualifying for next summer’s World Cup – it’s first in over half a century – won’t rescue Haiti from the clutches of the gangs ruling and terrorizing a growing portion of the county.But on the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas editor Tim Padgett says that, as the U.S. and the U.N. press onward with a new solution to gang governance, it ought to remind the international community that it needs to get serious about sending police or even military backup into Haiti.You can watch the video for this and other Americas Decoded commentaries on WLRN’s YouTube channel on youtube.com/@WLRN or on WLRN.org/Decoded. You can read Tim’s digital commentary along with WLRN’s coverage of Americas news on WLRN.org/americas. Sign up for the Americas Report newsletter on WLRN.org/newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station.

Years before the murder, Daniel’s parents met in the Peace Corps in Central Africa, got married and started a life in the U.S. But a contentious divorce, followed by years of fighting over custody and allegations of abuse, created what attorneys and mental health experts describe as a pressure cooker that for Daniel, and his festering mental illness, would eventually, violently explode.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke about the new immigrant detention center in the Everglades with Rep. Anna Eskamani (00:00) and spoke about the contractors who have been hired to operate the facility with Bob Norman of the Florida Trident (09:20). Then, we were joined by former state senator Jeff Brandes about property insurance reform (19:14). And later, a roundup of news from across the state including an outlook for the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season (29:18), an update on Florida’s ban on homeless encampments six months out (41:22), and the battle between basketball and pickleball continues in Fort Lauderdale (43:12).

This week on a rebroadcast of The Florida Roundup's special winter reading program, we spoke with three authors. First, we spoke with journalist and author Carl Hiaasen about his latest novel “Fever Beach” (00:00) Then, we had a conversation with Michael Grunwald, journalist and author of “We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix our Food System and Save Our Climate” (19:34). Plus, journalist and author Danny Rivero spoke with us about his book “Just Freedom: Inside Florida’s Decades-Long Voting Rights Battle” (37:26).

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited the stories WLRN reporters followed in 2025 on the South Florida cities that turned 100 years. It's WLRN’s fascinating series “History We Call Home: 100 Years of South Florida.” The reports take us back to the epic real estate boom of the 1920s, which spawned city charters up and down our coast. Was Al Capone a founding father of Deerfield Beach? Why did all those pink flamingos stay in Hialeah? And how did Boca Raton become a reverse, North-to-South Black migration magnet?

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke about a new state law expanding Florida’s Schools of Hope program first with Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Conner (00:00) and later with Andrew Atterbury, education reporter for POLITICO (21:26). Then, U.S. Rep. Darren Soto joined us to talk about the ongoing government shutdown (21:26). Plus, PolitiFact’s Samantha Putterman joined us to check some recent claims around the Affordable Care Act subsidies at the center of those negotiations (33:26). And later, we spoke with the producer and director of a new documentary that examines the trend of hedge funds buying newspapers and what it means for local journalism (37:32). We also dug into our inbox to share some notes from listeners (44:22).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Daniel Perez (R-Miami-Dade) about the effort to reduce or eliminate property taxes (00:00). Then, we were joined by The Athletic’s Matt Baker to talk about the multi-million dollar “parachute packages” for the football coaches at Florida’s top universities (28:08) following the firing of UF’s coach. And later, we looked at how the federal government shutdown is being felt in Florida (37:16) and spoke with the filmmakers behind a new documentary that explores the Everglades and centers the legacy of environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas (39:40).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we looked at changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under President Trump’s mega spending bill. First, we checked in with Meghan Bowman, Your Florida state government reporter (00:56) and later with Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association (09:12). Then, we looked at how Florida rapidly expanded publicly-funded school vouchers and how some students have gotten lost in the mix with Natalie La Roche Pietri, education reporter at WLRN (20:32). And later, we spoke with journalist and co-host of the Surviving the Survivor podcast Joel Waldman about the guilty verdict in a murder-for-hire plot against a FSU Law professor (32:24). Plus, we dug into our mailbag to share some listener feedback about recent shows (37:36).

In a re-broadcast of The South Florida Roundup, we revisited conversations we aired last month with Miami Book Fair authors. Award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito talks about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. Honduran-American Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — shares his odes to Miami in English and Spanish… with a little music [18:56]. And Miami Book Fair co-founder Mitchell Kaplan discusses why reading, against all odds, still has a future [36:37].

This week on a special ‘Film Fest’ edition of The Florida Roundup, we spoke with three directors of three film documentaries related to the Sunshine State. First, we spoke with Rick Goldsmith, the director of “Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink” (01:10). Then, we spoke about the documentary “River of Grass,” with its co-producer Ali Codina and director Sasha Wortzel (19:30). Plus, we were joined by Jamie Winterstern, the director of “Sanibel,” a documentary that explores sea-shelling around the island before and after Hurricane Ian (37:36).

The future of Brightline may depend upon public dollars for safety upgrades, critical infrastructure and for keeping the company's struggling finances afloat.

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we talked with the award-winning Miami journalist Mirta Ojito about her debut novel Deeper Than the Ocean — and the immigration mysteries it solves [01:09]. We also spoke with Oscar Fuentes — the Biscayne Poet — and got to hear his odes to Miami in English and Spanish…with a little music [18:56]. And Miami Book Fair co-founder Mitchell Kaplan discussed why reading, against all odds, still has a future [36:37].

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke about the latest in the push to release the Jeffrey Epstein files with the Miami Herald’s Ben Wieder (00:00). Then, we spoke with U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, who represents the district where Epstein lived and operated (14:06). And we shared an excerpt from WLRN's new four-part podcast series exploring mental illness and the criminal justice system through one family’s tragic story (19:50). Plus, Douglas Soule with "Your Florida" joined us for an update on the Florida House’s proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes (32:52). Later, a look at educational news from around the state (37:28) and a look back at the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network's Megan Borowski (44:34).

This week on The Florida Roundup, we spoke with Jacksonville Today education reporter Megan Mallicoat about a lawsuit against Duval Schools over teachers’ right to free speech (00:00). Then, we were joined by Allison Matulli, lawyer, children’s author and educator, for a conversation about free speech and consequences (07:44). Plus, we spoke with NBC 6 investigative reporter Tony Pipitone about what newly released I.C.E. data tells us about who has been detained at Alligator Alcatraz (21:16). And PolitiFact’s Samantha Putterman helped us check some claims from President Trump about affordability (32:48). Later, we checked in with stories from across the state (37:30), including a state-funded pilot facility to treat reclaimed water, or wastewater, for drinking (40:32).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we reviewed this week’s historic Miami mayoral election — and preview its possible national repercussions after President Trump’s endorsement loses in a landslide [01:09]. We also looked at the big local repercussions of the possible expiration of Obamacare subsidies — especially in the largest enrollment group here: Latinos [20:35]. And we discussed how to navigate what’s being forecast as unprecedented holiday travel volume starting next week. [35:47].

December 12, 2025 Michael Stock interviews Host of The Moth GrandSLAM in Miami Gaby Fernandez

December, 14, 2025 Christine Anglin needed a little help to make things right.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we were joined by KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to talk about what’s at stake for Florida as the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits are set to expire (00:00). Then, we spoke with Rep. Tom Fabricio (R-Miami-Dade) about the effort to reform property taxes that will be the focus of the next legislative session (08:32). Plus, we heard from a man who has witnessed hundreds of detention hearings in a Florida federal immigration court (19:34). We also looked at how the largest school district in the state may be cut out of decisions about new charter schools (37:28). And later, we share some listener emails from our inbox (45:28).

On this episode of The South Florida Roundup, we looked at an unusual, if not unconstitutional, move by the state to authorize charter schools in Miami-Dade County — without the authorization of Miami-Dade public schools [01:09]. We also discussed an important new Miami Herald series, “Haiti’s Lost Generation,” on the growing horror of women and girls raped by violent gangs [13:05]. And we tried to understand the uneasy place that our faiths — and our inter-faith efforts — are at in this year’s holiday season [29:58].

Opinion: President Trump and his deportation crusade. Nicolas Maduro and his disastrous dictatorship. Haiti’s gang confederation and its evil violence. As another year of migrant crisis in the Americas draws to a close – who was the cruelest leader of all? On the latest episode of Americas Decoded, WLRN’s Americas editor Tim Padgett t looks at the leaders most responsible for migrant misery and refugee wretchedness in the New World in 2025. Inspired by the monstrous Biblical figure King Herod, it’s time for his second annual Herod of the Hemisphere awards. You can watch the video for this and other Americas Decoded commentaries on WLRN’s YouTube channel on youtube.com/@WLRN or on WLRN.org/Decoded. You can read Tim’s digital commentary along with WLRN’s coverage of Americas news on WLRN.org/americas. Sign up for the Americas Report newsletter on WLRN.org/newsletters. WLRN is South Florida’s NPR member station.