Miami-Dade police officer convicted in lewdness case

A Miami-Dade police officer, who routinely stopped women drivers without cause and engaged in lewd conversations, was convicted in federal court Friday.

Prabhainjana Dwivedi, a seven-year veteran, was found guilty on six of seven counts of depriving people of their civil rights. He was found not guilty on the seventh count involving an undercover police officer.

Following the ruling, U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez immediately remanded Dwivedi back into custody pending sentencing scheduled for sometime in April, according to prosecutor Karen Gilbert. The trial began Monday.

Dwivedi faces up to a year in prison for each count.

A grand jury indicted Dwivedi after he was arrested by FBI agents Sept. 5 at Miami-Dade police headquarters.

Dwivedi, 33, was charged after an investigation into complaints filed for stops made in May and June of 2011 in which he detained “numerous women” for “unreasonable” length of time “without probable cause, reasonable suspicion or other lawful authority to conduct a stop,” a criminal complaint said.

None of the questionable stops were ever listed on his daily reports or called into dispatch.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi who worked overnight patrolling an area from Key Biscayne to Jackson Memorial Hospital, stopped a 24-year-old bartender who was driving from South Beach to Broward County on her way home from work at about 5:30 a.m. on June 25, 2011, in the area of the Golden Glades interchange.

The bartender, identified as M.F., was accused by Dwivedi of driving under the influence. Pleading her innocence, she requested to have a sobriety test performed. Her request was refused.

Noticing a child’s safety seat in the back seat, Dwivedi threatened M.F. that she would lose custody of her son if she were to be arrested on DUI charges, the criminal complaint said. Then the conversation turned sexual.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi, began to inquire about her surgically enhanced breasts and asked “if she had any scars or incisions from the surgery.”

Dwivedi then asked to see the scars. M.F. obeyed, lifting her shirt and exposing her breasts.

According to the complaint written by FBI special agent Susan Funk, “M.F. stated that Dwivedi did not touch her breast.”

, Dwivedi then allowed her to drive home, but said he would follow her to make sure she got safely home. Once at M.F.’s residence, Dwivedi said he was thirsty and asked for a glass of water. Once inside her home, he lingered for an hour speaking of his personal life.

In the end, Dwivedi left without ever reporting anything to dispatch or making any notes of the stop in his daily reports, the criminal complaint said.

A month earlier, Dwivedi made another questionable stop.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi stopped a19-year-old woman at 2:20 a.m. on May 27, 2011, on her way home from a nightclub with two friends. The woman, identified, as A.R., was informed the traffic stop was a result of a failure to turn on her headlights.

Dwivedi also claimed she was driving under the influence, but A.R. disputed the accusation.

A.R. was instructed to sit in the back seat of his marked cruiser and then Dwivedi “instructed A.R. to lower the zipper on the front of her dress down past her breasts to her mid-stomach” according to the complaint.

An hour and 20 minutes later, A.R. was on her way home without any citation and Dwivedi again made no mention or note of the stop, the complaint said.

Miami Herald staff writer Jay Weaver contributed to this report.

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Spring Breakers Posters

Sexy Selena

By JACKIE WILLIS

February 09, 2013

Bring on the neon! Bikini-clad gals Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson,
Selena Gomez and Rachel Korine are girls gone wild in Spring Breakers. Posing alongside Kevin Federline-lookalike James Franco (and for Gomez, posing solo) in the
latest movie posters, these ladies look like they're ready for trouble.
Hitting theaters sometime this year, Spring Breakers is about
four college friends who find themselves in jail after robbing a
restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation in Florida. In
order to get out from behind bars, the girls are bailed out by a drug
and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work.

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8-year-old boy killed in early morning Brooklyn fire

A boy was killed in an early morning fire that ripped through a Flatbush home, police said.

The blaze filled the first floor of the home on Bedford Avenue near Farragut Road about 2:50 a.m., authorities said.

Sixty firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after 3:30 a.m., according to an FDNY spokesman.

The eight-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. A civilian and firefighter also suffered minor injuries, and were taken to Long Island College Hospital for treatment.

The cause of the fire has not been determined yet, but it is not believed to be suspicious.

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Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum

Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.

In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.

During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.

Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.

Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.

Register here.

Program

8 a.m.

Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering

8:30 a.m. Welcome

Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

•  Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

•  Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)

•  Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:

•  Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald

8:45 a.m. Session I – Success Stories

Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

Speakers:

•  Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade

•  Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com

•  Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets

10 a.m. Session II – All about Tech

Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Speakers

•  Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech

•  Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of

Business, Florida International University

•  Mark Slaughter, CEO, Cohealo.com

•  Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance

11:15 a.m. Keynote

Speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness

Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald

11:45 a.m. Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.

Moderator: Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director, Venture Architects

Panelists:

•  Marjorie Weber, chairman, SCORE of Miami-Dade

•  Cornell Crews, Jr., program director, Partners for Self Employment

•  Darius G. Nevin, co-founder, G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-stage investment company

•  Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of the board, Tres Mares S.A. (Santiago, Chile) and entrepreneur in

residence at the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

1 p.m. Lunch session - Polish your Pitch, Brighten Your Personal Brand

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make short pitches about their businesses and themselves. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation.

Coaches: Melissa Krinzman of Venture Architects and Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting

advise audience volunteers on how to best pitch themselves and their products.

Box lunch provided by Bill Hansen Catering

All speakers confirmed unless otherwise noted. Agenda is subject to change without notice .

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Squatter Lokiboy evicted from Boca Raton mansion

BOCA RATON --
Infamous squatter Andre Barbosa has been evicted from a Boca Raton mansion, police said.

Bank of America retook possession of a $2.5 million home where the 23-year-old Brazilian national had been staying since December.

Bank representatives, with the assistance of police, cleared out the foreclosed home at 580 Gold Harbor Dr. at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

There was no one inside and the home’s locks were changed, said Officer Sandra Boonenberg, spokeswoman for Boca police.

Barbosa, also known as Lokiboy954, had been occupying the home since filing an “adverse possession” claim in December.

Adverse possession was created hundreds of years ago when hand-scrawled property records could more easily be lost, damaged or muddled. Allowing for adverse possession kept land in productive use when ownership was unclear, or, for example, the owner died with no heirs.

If the person claiming adverse possession stays in the home for seven years, paying taxes and caring for the property, they can take permanent ownership.

Barbosa is not facing any charges at this point and police are not actively searching for him, Boonenberg said.

Bank of America issued a statement regarding Thursday’s action.

“We appreciate the assistance of local authorities and the patience of neighbors as we worked to have the trespassers removed.

“We take trespassing seriously and, in the interest of the community, we will take appropriate legal action to protect this and all properties we service.”

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Pretty Little Liars What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Clip

For the last three season, Mona has been secretly making The PLL's lives a living hell, but now that the doors on her black hoodie-filled closet have been thrown open for all to see, Mona's not trying to hide her hatred any longer.

RELATED - Troian Bellisario: Spencer Needs Serious Help

Something we got a taste of last week when Mona tossed Toby in Spencer's face, and the two are going toe-to-toe once more in this Tuesday's all-new Pretty Little Liars!

RELATED - Marlene King Previews The Twists & Turns To Come

Titled What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted, the hour sees Spencer continue her long descent into self-destruction and takes her anger out on Mona. But Miss Vanderwaal won't sit back in silence while she's verbally assaulted as you can see in ETonline's sneak peek clip!

RELATED - Which PLL Character Is The Best Dressed?

And for those of you who think Mona's no match for Spencer in the long run, remember what PLL EP Oliver Goldstick told me: "What's great about Mona is that she's kind of like the bizarro Spencer in some ways. There is no off switch to their brains, and Spencer has a match in Mona so they go toe-to-toe in 3B. It's a lot of fun."

Watch the fun play out above and on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ABC Family.

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Original Iwo Jima monument coming to NYC auction

AP

This iconic Feb. 23, 1945 photo shows US Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raising the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi in Iwo Jima, Japan.

A long-forgotten piece of America's military history is going up for sale.

The original smaller statue of the iconic raising of the US flag at Iwo Jima in 1945 is expected to fetch up to $1.8 million later this month at a New York auction dedicated to World War II artifacts.

That such a statue even exists is news to all but the most ardent history buffs.

Most Americans are familiar with the 32-foot-tall Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va. Felix de Weldon's 1954 bronze depicts five Marines and a Navy Corpsman raising the flag on Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi as Allied forces struggled to capture the Japanese-held island.

AP

A bronze statue by sculptor Felix de Weldon, center, and Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal at the White House in Washington. The sculpture, depicting five Marines and a Navy Corpsman raising the flag on the island of Iwo Jima, was inspired by a photo taken by Rosenthal on Feb. 23, 1945. The original 12 1/2-foot-tall statue created by de Weldon soon after Rosenthal took his picture in 1945 is being auctioned Feb. 22 in New York.

Less well-known is the 12 1/2-foot-tall statue created soon after the event.

De Weldon, a young sculptor serving as an artist in the Navy, became instantly transfixed by an Associated Press image of the Feb. 19, 1945, flag planting, which would earn photographer Joe Rosenthal a Pulitzer Prize and resonate around the world.

"It's an incredibly iconic image of bravery," says Marci Reaven, vice president of historic exhibits at the New-York Historical Society. "It immediately captured Americans' imaginations, their hopes for victory and their fears at a difficult time."

De Weldon canceled a weekend leave to model a wax sculpture of the photo to present to the chiefs of staff. Congress soon called for construction of a large statue. But burdened with war debt, it could provide no financing and de Weldon agreed to fund it himself.

Completed in just three months, de Weldon's cast stone monument was erected in Washington, D.C., in front of what is now the Federal Reserve Building on Constitution Avenue. It remained there until it was removed in 1947 to make room for a new building.

At about the same time, the government authorized a foundation for de Weldon to build a much larger flag-raising statue in bronze — the 32-foot Iwo Jima monument in Arlington.

The 12 1/2-foot version was returned to de Weldon, who covered it with a tarp behind his studio. It remained largely forgotten for more than four decades.

The story of how military historian and collector Rodney Hilton Brown came to own the statue is, like Rosenthal's photograph, one for the history books.

In researching material for a biography on de Weldon, Brown learned about the old studio and amazingly found the monument still covered by the tarp. He purchased the 5-ton monument from de Weldon in 1990, paying with "a Stradivarius violin, a 1920s solid silver Newport yachting trophy and a lot of money."

But years of neglect had taken their toll. The joints of the sculpture's inner steel skeleton suffered extensive damage. Brown was told by a restoration house that it could build a brand-new monument for a quarter of the cost that it would take to restore it.

"They said, 'You're crazy.' And I said, 'You're right, I'm crazy. I'm crazy for my Marine Corps. I'm crazy for my country," Brown says. "This is the original first Iwo Jima from the last year of WWII and it's going to get restored."

Brown unveiled the restored version of the statue in 1995 on the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. It remained on the aircraft carrier until 2007 and was then moved to a storage facility in Connecticut.

Brown, 70, founder of the New York-based Virtual War Museum, said he wants to sell the statue now because "it doesn't fit in my living room. I want to find it a good home so we can pass the flag onto somebody else."

It will be brought out of storage for display in a sculpture garden adjacent to Bonhams auction house in Manhattan before the Feb. 22 sale.

The successful bidder will also get the tools de Weldon used to build the statue, plus the sculptor's drawings, sketches and photos of the monument. Also included is the June 4, 1945, Orders for Rosenthal and de Weldon to report to the White House to present a model of the monument to President Harry S. Truman.

Among the other 186 lots at the auction is a 16-by-20-inch copy of Rosenthal's award-winning photograph that includes a handwritten inscription to de Weldon. The only known photograph autographed by the photographer to the sculptor, it's expected to sell for $7,000 to $10,000, Brown said.

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Need a copy of your home’s deed? It’s cheaper to do it yourself

Homeowners who received letters recently from a company offering to sell them a copy of the deed on their home might want to think twice before writing a check.

The official-looking letters from Florida Certified Record Retrieval state that the government recommends having a certified copy of their home’s deed.

The letter offers to provide such a copy for a fee of $50, plus $4.50 for postage and handling.

Technically, it’s not a scam. The Davie-based company, which is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, will get the record for you.

A recorded message on the company’s answering service states that Florida Certified Record Retrieval is not affiliated with any state or government agency. It is a private company that buys lists of real estate transactions, which are public record.

The message also states the company has no access to original documents, and cannot change information — such as correcting misspelled names — on a certified copy of a deed.

Although what the company does is not illegal, homeowners can buy copies of a deed directly from their county’s clerk of courts for much less, said David Rooney, Division Chief of Recording at the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Office.

To get a copy of your deed:

In Miami-Dade, visit www.miami-dadeclerk.com and select “official record search.” Records are searchable by name.

A scanned copy of the record can be printed from the website, or you can order certified copies of the deed from the same screen.

Copies cost $1 per page, plus a certification fee of $2 per document. The records are mailed within a week.

In Broward, visit www.broward.org, click on “Public Records Search” and then on “Deeds.”

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Jury awards girl sexually assaulted on school district bus $1.7 million

WEST PALM BEACH --
Minutes after a jury late Wednesday awarded a mentally challenged Pahokee girl $1.7 million for the trauma she suffered when she was raped on a Palm Beach County school bus when she was 3, the girl’s mother rushed toward those who had given her daughter a second chance.

“Wait,” she called out just before they filed out the door. “I want to thank all of you.”

In turn, she hugged each of the four women and two men who rejected the school board’s claims that her daughter wasn’t hurt by the 2007 attack. School board attorneys argued the girl was too young and too mentally disabled to understand what a 15-year-old emotionally disturbed youth did to her on the bus filled with special needs kids.

With tears streaming down her face, the mother looked at the girl’s father. Both heaved sighs of relief.

“It means a lot to me,” she said of the verdict. “My daughter finally got justice.”

The School Board never denied the girl was molested. Both the bus driver and the aide who was on the bus to protect the students were fired. The aide, Grenisha Williams, was convicted of child neglect in connection with the incident and put on probation. Sexual battery charges were filed against J.C. Carter, the youth school police said assaulted the child. The School Board even changed policies, decreeing that young children should no longer be allowed to ride buses with older kids.

But, the district never agreed to compensate the now 9-year-old girl for the trauma that her attorneys argued exacerbated her considerable learning problems.

“I think the jury got it,” attorney Stephan Le Clainche said.

Despite School Board attorneys’ claims to the contrary, he said: “The jury realized that any child of a tender age who is the victim of physical or sexual violence is going to carry the stain of it their entire life.”

But, he acknowledged, the battle is far from over. Under Florida law, government agencies in 2007 could only be forced to pay $100,000 for injuries caused by their wrongdoing. (The cap on so-called sovereign immunity, that comes from the English concept that the King can do no wrong, has since been raised to $200,000.) But to get more than $100,000, the girl’s attorneys must now persuade a typically stubborn Florida Legislature to life the cap so the girl can get the $1.7 million the jury said she deserves.

“We have a long road to go,” Le Clainche said. The $100,000 will barely cover the court costs that included paying $25,000 to a psychiatrist who persuaded the jury that the girl carries deep psychological scars that will take years of counseling and private schooling to salve.

The mother said she was well aware of the looming battle. “I’ve been waiting all this time. I guess I can wait some more,” said the mother, who lost her job as a cook when the always shaky economy in the Glades got even worse in the recent recession.

Jurors declined comment on the verdict, as did attorneys representing the school board. Attorney Scott Krevens said they don’t comment on pending litigation.

But the two sides argued their cases vigorously Wednesday in their last appearances before the jury after a five-day trial.

Attorney Tom McCausland, one of the school board’s two attorneys, suggested that the jury give the girl $250,000 for the pain she endured on the day of the attack and $31,000 for family counseling.

“A quarter-million dollars is a way of saying we’re sorry it happened,” he said.

Le Clainche bristled at McCausland’s suggestion that the money was an apology and not a recognition that the girl needs years of therapy.

McCausland insisted the girl has no memory of the attack. “Her brain has not been able to form to grasp the event,” McCausland told jurors. “This very, very heinous act, fortunately, is not something the girl remembers.”

Le Clainche translated McCausland’s argument this way: “Your harm is worth nothing because you’re already damaged.” Then, he added, “That is an incredible, outrageous defense.”

The psychiatrist hired by the girl’s team testified that the attack stymied the girl’s emotional and intellectual growth. A psychologist hired by the school board told jurors trauma doesn’t affect cognitive development.

In the end, it was clear the jury accepted the long-standing child-rearing concept that early childhood development impacts a youngster’s entire life.

About two hours into their deliberations, the jurors sent out a question: “Can the possibility of future sexual problems be considered as future pain and suffering?”

Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley said they could.

Less than 15 minutes later, they announced their verdict.

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Grammys Flashback: Alicia Keys 2002

Alicia Keys was an instant success in the music industry. The soulful R&B from her debut album, Songs in A Minor, swept across the nation as a refreshing breeze. People everywhere fell in love with her sweet music and so did The Recording Academy.

After Songs in A Minor peaked at No. 1 on US charts and in the Top 10 in charts around the world and sold millions of copies, Keys was nominated for six awards at the 2002 Grammys, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year.

PICS: Stars Set to Perform at Grammys

Not only did the R&B singer win Best New Artist as expected but also took home four other Grammys, including Song of the Year for "Fallin'" and Best R&B Album. The only award she wasn't granted that year was Record of the Year.

Nevertheless, Keys' grand total of five Grammys tied her for first with Lauryn Hill on the list of most-awarded females in a single night.

"I don't know if it will ever quite sink in," Keys says to ET's former correspondent Jann Carl backstage after winning the awards. "I'm just very, very honored and very excited about this year and the years to come."

VIDEO: Alicia Keys: I Have to 'Bust My Ass' To Stay Fit

Keys was joined on that list by Norah Jones the following year and Beyonce the year after that, and two more would join the club before Beyonce exceeded all with six Grammys in 2010, which was then tied by Adele two years later.

Regardless, Keys started her music career with a bang with a stellar debut album and a handful of Grammys. Among the presence of music legends Stevie Wonder, U2, and Bob Dylan that night, she wanted "stand the test of time" like they had.

And she has.

VIDEO: Grammys Flashback '00: Christina's Shocked

Over a decade later, Keys has had four albums peak at No. 1 on the charts, has sold over an estimated 30 million albums, and has won fourteen Grammys from twenty-seven nominations.

Keys is currently No. 4 on the list of all-time female Grammy winners, trailing just behind Beyonce and Aretha Franklin.

One can only assume that she'll continue to climb up that list next year for her latest album Girl on Fire.

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Weekly unemployment applications fall to 366,000

WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, indicating companies continue to hire at a modest but steady pace.

The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, dropped to 350,500, the lowest in nearly five years. The average is low because of seasonal factors, which reduced applications sharply last month.

Weekly applications are a proxy for layoffs. When layoffs decline, net hiring typically rises.

The four-week average of applications has dropped nearly 6 percent in the past three months. At the same time, hiring has picked up: Employers added an average of 200,000 jobs a month from November through January.

In January, employers added 157,000 jobs. And annual revisions included in the Labor Department's January employment report showed the economy created 600,000 more jobs in 2011 and 2012 than previously thought.

Still, the unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9 percent in January from 7.8 percent in December. Economists expect unemployment will decline if hiring continues at last year's monthly pace of 180,000. The rate fell 0.7 percentage points in 2012.

More hiring and income are needed to fuel greater economic growth. The economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the October-December quarter. But the decline was mostly caused by deep cuts in defense spending and sluggish growth in company stockpiles — one-time events that analysts say are likely rebounding in the current quarter.

Economists expect growth of around 2 percent this year. Strength in areas like housing and auto sales could partly offset government spending cuts this year.

Home builders are stepping up construction to meet rising demand. That should create more construction jobs. Home prices and sales are also increasing.

The housing recovery is boosting jobs at home-supply stores and retailers. Home Depot said Wednesday that it plans to hire 80,000 temporary employees for the spring selling season. The jobs will be part-time and full-time, the company said.

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American Airlines-US Airways merger may be announced soon

FORT WORTH --
A merger between American Airlines and US Airways could be announced as early as next week as the two companies move closer to finalizing details of a deal, sources familiar with the negotiations say.

Neither airline's board has met to formally approve a union, however. The AMR Corp. board is expected to meet early next week.

US Airways Chief Executive Doug Parker is likely to lead the merged carrier, while AMR Chief Executive Tom Horton may serve as chairman for a specific period before departing, according to one source, who declined to be identified because the talks are private.

Discussions are also ongoing over the financial aspects. Creditors and bondholders at AMR have agreed on an equity split, sources said, though they cautioned that details could change.

Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that American creditors would own about 72 percent of the airline and US Airways shareholders about 28 percent, although those figures are tentative.

Both American and US Airways, which have signed a nondisclosure agreement, declined to comment.

The management plan being discussed is similar to what happened when United Airlines merged with Continental Airlines in 2010.

United CEO Glenn Tilton was named chairman while Continental Chief Executive Jeff Smisek kept the CEO and president titles. Tilton stepped down as chairman at the end of 2012.

An American-US Airways merger would create the largest airline in the U.S., with over $38.7 billion in revenue and more than 100,000 employees. The combined company is expected to retain the American Airlines name and be based in Fort Worth.

Wall Street analysts began speculating about a merger as soon as AMR filed for bankruptcy in November 2011. In April, Parker negotiated conditional labor agreements with American's three major unions and began to publicly advocate for a merger.

Until midsummer, Horton insisted that American would emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone carrier and evaluate possible partners afterward.

But pressure from creditors rose and merger discussions intensified when US Airways signed a nondisclosure agreement with American in August.

That allowed the two companies to share financial information and discuss the benefits and challenges of a merger.

Horton began to publicly discuss a possible merger within bankruptcy in the fall. After American's pilots union ratified a new contract in December and agreed to a memorandum of understanding on terms for a merger, a deal with US Airways has become increasingly more likely, analysts have said.

Executives at both companies, along with American's unsecured creditors committee and an ad hoc bondholder group, have been meeting in recent weeks to discuss a possible merger.

Previous media reports said the bondholders had signed a nondisclosure agreement that expires Feb. 15.

The agreement gives debt owners access to the discussions but restricts them from trading AMR or US Airways debt, giving them incentive to push for a quick deal.

On Friday, the US Airways pilots union is scheduled to release the results of a vote to approve or reject a memorandum of understanding with the carriers. Like the agreements signed by American's three major unions, it would outline details such as pay and seniority integration in a merger.

If the US Airways pilots reject the memorandum, it could delay a possible merger announcement. The airlines and the creditors committee had invited several unions into merger discussions to get a clearer picture of the labor costs that a combined airline may incur.

Last week, American asked the Bankruptcy Court to extend its exclusivity period to file a reorganization plan until April 15 from its current deadline of March 11.

If the carriers and the creditors committee work out a merger deal, the Bankruptcy Court would need to give other creditors time to examine it before approving a merger agreement.

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Miami Heat has scholarships for graduation high school seniors

The Miami Heat is offering South Florida high school seniors college scholarships for the 2013-2014 school year.

Four scholarships of $2,500 each will go to seniors who excel in academics and community service.

One of the four scholarships is reserved for a student who plays sports.

Applicants must have at least a 3.2 grade point average by their final semester in high school, attend school in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties, be accepted to an accredited four-year college or university and demonstrate financial need.

Applications are available at nba.com/heat/community/community_education_scholarships.html and must be submitted by April 6.

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David Beckham Underwear Short Film

If you thought the billboards and photoshoots for David Beckham's H&M underwear line were hot, wait until you get a load of this!

PHOTOS - David's Hot Photoshoot

To promote the updated David Beckham Bodywear for H&M collection, director Guy Ritchie has created an exclusive two-minute film that reveals what happens when Becks is accidentally locked out of the house and the universe bends its will to strip him down to his skivvies.

RELATED - David's Next Move

Ace choice of Foster The People's Don't Stop as the soundtrack for David's underwear run because we never want this video to end! Watch!

Read More..

Time Warner's fourth-quarter earnings up 51 percent

Time Warner is reporting a 51 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings even as revenue was largely unchanged. Rising fees from cable and satellite companies and higher ad revenue at the TV networks offset revenue declines at its movie studio and magazine businesses.

Net income was $1.17 billion, or $1.21 a share, for the final three months of 2012. That's up from $773 million, or 76 cents a share, a year earlier.

Adjusted for one-time items, earnings came to $1.17 per share. That beat the $1.10 per share that analysts expected.

Revenue was almost steady at $8.16 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected revenue of $8.22 billion.

WireImage

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes

The company expects 2013 adjusted earnings to be up in the low double-digit percentage.

Time Warner Inc. is raising its quarterly dividend by 11 percent to 28.75 cents per share.

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Sweetest Android Jelly Bean phones

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity for Android Jelly Bean phones to ship, we’re glad to see a flood of handsets with the coveted software. Some older phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Motorola Droid Razr HD Maxx, also have received this significant upgrade, but these smartphones rolled straight off the assembly line boasting Google’s most modern OS. From the pure flavor only a true Nexus device can bring, to the tricked-out tweaks phone designers like to bring to the table, chances are good there’s a Jelly Bean handset here that will suit your tastes.

HTC Droid DNA

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: This beautifully designed phone features a quad-core processor, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 4G LTE, a sharp 5-inch screen, an excellent camera and long battery life.

The bad: Its large size makes it tricky to fit in tight pockets, and it lacks both an SD card slot and a removable battery.

The cost: $99.99 to $199.99

The bottom line: With quad-core power, 4G LTE, a lovely 5-inch screen and a stunning design, the $199.99 HTC Droid DNA may be Verizon’s best Android deal.

HTC One X+

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: Has a quad-core processor, 64GB of storage and Android Jelly Bean, plus a great camera, all for $199.99.

The bad: The battery life is short. The phone also lacks an SD card slot, and its battery can’t be removed.

The cost: $169.99 to $509

The bottom line: Although it does have some flaws, the $199.99 HTC One X+ is currently the best Android buy on AT&T.

LG Nexus 4

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: The competitively priced phone delivers a pure and polished experience with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, it’s powered by a snappy quad-core processor, and it’s packed with new photo-editing and camera features.

The bad: Construction is solid but uninspiring, its call volume is too low, and it lacks 4G LTE.

The cost: $299 (currently sold out)

The bottom line: While the LG Nexus 4 wins on internal performance and user experience, anyone shopping for an unlocked phone should consider a comparable LTE handset first.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: Oodles of screen real estate make this phone terrific for videos, games, and reading; and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.

The bad: The huge display makes it unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn’t a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.

The cost: $139.99 to $299.99

The bottom line: In the Galaxy Note 2, Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.

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Woman gets 30 days in jail for giving the finger to Miami-Dade judge

A woman facing a drug possession charge was sentenced to 30 days in jail for flipping the bird to a Miami-Dade judge.

Penelope Soto, 18, appeared in court on video after her arrest for possession of Xanax. In front of Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat on Monday, she was asked about her assets.

Soto appeared as if the hearing was a big joke and laughed off the judge's questions, blurted out "Adios" and then gave him the finger.

The judge, feeling disrespected, demanded she return to the podium and then sentenced her to 30 days in jail for contempt of court.

The hearing began when Soto, sporting an orange jail jumpsuit, laughed when she was asked how much her jewelry was worth.

"It's not a joke, you know, we're not in a club now," Rodriguez-Chomat told her. "We are not in a club, be serious about it."

"I'm serious about it, you just made me laugh," Soto replied. "You just made me laugh, I apologize. It's worth a lot of money."

"Like what?" the judge asked.

"Like Rick Ross. It's worth money," she said.

The judge, not understanding the odd reference to the South Florida rapper who made news last week when his car was fired at on Las Olas Boulevard, asked Soto if she had taken drugs in the past 24 hours.

"Actually, no," she replied.

Rodriguez-Chomat set her bond at $5,000 and said "bye, bye," and Soto laughed and replied " Adios."

Annoyed, Rodriguez-Chomat summoned her back and reset her bond at $10,000, shocking Soto.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"I am serious. Adios," he replied.

When she walked away, she flipped the bird. She was summoned back again and sentenced.

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Grammys Flashback: Justin Bieber 2011

Amid the hoopla over Justin Bieber's Grammy snub this year for his album Believe, let's flash back to when he was nominated. Two years ago, the teen pop sensation received two nominations for his debut album, My World 2.0, and performed at the show. Best of all, he came dressed for the occasion.

After sweeping the charts with his singles "Baby" and "One Time," the then-16-year-old singer was nominated for the treasured Best New Artist Award as well as Best Pop Vocal Album. While he didn't win either award, he took pride in his performance--and his attire.

PICS: Stars Set to Perform at Grammys

"I was like, 'I want a cream suit and I want it [to]...look like...James Bond,'" Bieber says. "I'm not feeling as cool as James Bond. He's like the coolest, and plus, he has a gun and I don't have a gun."

Like a cold-blooded professional, though, the young pop star reveals that he wasn't at all nervous for his first Grammys performance. As he assesses, performing is routine for him.

Grammys Flashback '11: Black Keys Get In and Out

"I don't really get nervous," he says. "It's kind of like second nature now [because I'm] just always performing. ...At first I got nervous, but [I don't] anymore 'cause...once you do it for so long, it's like riding a bike. You don't get nervous when you a ride a bike 'cause you just do it all the time."

The Best New Artist Award was granted to jazz artist Esperanza Spalding that year and Best Pop Vocal Album went to Bruno Mars.

VIDEO: Justin Bieber Views Himself as the 'Underdog'

Nevertheless, Bieber impressed with his performance, confidence, and attire that year, and can look forward to more nominations in the future.

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North Korea threatens 'stronger' measures than nuclear test

EPA

A researcher at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety in Daejeon looks at radiation detection monitors Tuesday amid reports on North Korea's imminent third nuclear test.

SEOUL — North Korea stepped up its bellicose rhetoric on Tuesday threatening to go beyond carrying out a promised third nuclear test in response to what it believes are "hostile" sanctions imposed after a December rocket launch.

The North frequently employs fiery rhetoric aimed at South Korea and the United States and in 2010 was blamed for sinking a South Korean naval vessel. It also shelled a South Korean island in the same year, killing civilians.

It did not spell out the actions it would take. The North is not capable of staging a military strike on the United States, although South Korea is in range of its artillery and missiles and it can hit Japan with its missiles.

"The DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or North Korea) has drawn a final conclusion that it will have to take a measure stronger than a nuclear test to cope with the hostile forces nuclear war moves that have become ever more undisguised," the North's KCNA state news agency said.

The United States and South Korea are staging military drills that North Korea says are a rehearsal for an invasion, something both Washington and Seoul deny.

The North successfully launched a long-range rocket in December in violation of U.N. resolutions that banned it from developing missile or nuclear technology after nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

The North says that it has the sovereign right to launch rockets for peaceful purposes.

Its widely trailed third nuclear test was announced in response to the sanctions agreed in January, although satellite imagery indicates that the isolated and impoverished state has been readying its nuclear test site for more than a year.

While most experts believe the North will stage a test, the timing is not known. It could come around Feb. 16, the anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's birth.

Another unknown is what the North will use as fissile material. In the past it has used its diminishing supply of plutonium stocks, but is believed to have enriched weapons grade uranium that would give it a second path to a nuclear bomb.

US nuclear expert Siegfried Hecker, who visited a North Korean nuclear facility in 2010 believes the North could stage two explosions, one using plutonium to as to perfect its capacity to design a warhead small enough to be mounted on a missile, and a second using highly enriched uranium.

"Such (dual) tests have some technical limitations and are more challenging to conduct, but they have the huge advantage of not incurring additional political cost - in other words, they can get two for the price of one," Hecker wrote in the Feb. 4 issue of Foreign Policy magazine.

Pyongyang's two tests so far have been puny. The yield of the 2006 test is estimated at somewhat less than 1 kiloton (1,000 tons of TNT equivalent) and the second some 2-7 kilotons, compared with say 20 kilotons for a Nagasaki type bomb, Hecker wrote.

North Korea has in the past used the leverage gained from its nuclear and rocket tests to try to restart six-party talks aimed at securing international recognition and aid for the country whose only major diplomatic backer is China.

There are few signs that the United States is willing to talk after the North rebuffed a food aid deal in March 2012 when it launched a long-range rocket after promising not to.

The planned third nuclear test and "stronger" measures come as South Korea prepares to swear in new President Park Geun-hye on Feb. 25. Park had pledged talks and aid if the North gives up its nuclear ambitions.

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Skyscanner.com opening Miami office

One of Kayak and Expedia’s international rivals in the online-travel business is opening up a Miami office in a bid to capture a larger share of the North American market.

Skyscanner, the No. 1 travel site in Europe, picked Miami to open its first U.S. office, according to a company press release. A spokesman said the company plans to put 10 executives in the Miami office, and that the hunt is on for a specific location.

While big in Europe and Asia, Skyscanner.com has a low profile in the Americas. Skyscanner said it selected Miami as its first U.S. location given the city’s ties to South America.

DOUGLAS HANKS

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Keys ‘Seahag’ gets 30 years for killing man who refused to give her a beer

Former Conch Key resident Carolyn Dukeshire has the next 30 years to think about the can of Busch Light beer she never got from neighbor Martin Mazur.

That's the reason Dukeshire, 62, shot and killed Mazur, 64, last July 29 — she asked Mazur for a beer and he said no. That's when she shot him five times outside his Conch Key home.

Dukeshire — known by her friends and co-workers as the Seahag — pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday, accepting an agreement with the Monroe state attorney's office for a maximum 30 years in prison. Assistant Public Defender Patrick Stevens represented her.

A grand jury handed down a first-degree murder charge against Dukeshire in August.

Assistant State Attorney Tanner Demmery said Mazur's brother was at Thursday's hearing before acting Circuit Court Judge Ruth Becker.

"The brother of the victim, he elected to have the victim advocate read his prepared statement to the court. Ms. Dukeshire had no comment," he said.

Demmery said Dukeshire submitted a statement to Becker indicating her remorse and that she'd pay the rest of her life for losing composure in that moment.

A 17-year Keys resident, Dukeshire had no previous arrest history in Monroe County.

According to a Monroe County Sheriff's Office report, just before the shooting, Dukeshire reportedly asked Mazur, for whom she had previously done some lobster-trap work: "Do you have a cold beer for me?" He reportedly replied, "I have absolutely nothing for you."

That's when Dukeshire shot Mazur twice in the lower right abdomen, twice in the back and once in the right wrist.

Deputy Michael Claudy's report says "it seems apparent" Mazur was attempting to flee from the gunfire but collapsed near a tiki bar in his backyard.

Mazur's reported business partner, Casey Whippo, 30, witnessed the shooting and told police he struggled with Dukeshire for the gun. Sheriff's office divers recovered the small-caliber weapon the next day in a canal behind the house.

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Estonian pleads guilty in U.S. court to Internet advertising scam

NEW YORK (Reuters) – An Estonian man pleaded guilty on Friday in U.S. federal court for his role in a massive Internet scam that targeted well-known websites such as iTunes, Netflix and The Wall Street Journal.

The scheme infected at least four million computers in more than 100 countries, including 500,000 in the United States, with malicious software, or malware, according to the indictment. It included a large number of computers at data centers located in New York, federal prosecutors said.

Valeri Aleksejev, 32, was the first of six Estonians and one Russian indicted in 2011 to enter a plea. They were indicted on five charges each of wire and computer intrusion. One of the defendants, Vladimir Tsastsin, was also charged with 22 counts of money laundering.

In U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Friday, Aleksejev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. He faces up to 25 years in prison, deportation and the forfeiture of $ 7 million.

The scam had several components, including a “click-hijacking fraud” in which the malware re-routed searches by users on infected computers to sites designated by the defendants, prosecutors said in the indictment. Users of infected computers trying to access Apple Inc’s iTunes website or Netflix Inc‘s movie website, for example, instead ended up at websites of unaffiliated businesses, according to the indictment.

Another component of the scam replaced legitimate advertisements on websites operated by News Corp’s The Wall Street Journal, Amazon.com Inc and others with advertisements that triggered payments for the defendants, prosecutors said.

The defendants reaped at least $ 14 million from the fraud, prosecutors said. However, Aleksejev’s lawyer, William Stampur, said in court on Friday that Aleksejev has no assets.

Estonian police arrested Aleksejev and the other Estonians in November 2011. One other Estonian, Anton Ivanov, has been extradited, and the extradition of the other four is pending, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan. The Russian, Andrey Taame, remains at large, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Aleksejev told Magistrate Judge James Francis he assisted in blocking anti-virus software updates on infected computers. Francis asked Aleksejev if he knew what he was doing was illegal.

“I thought it was wrong,” Aleksejev said in broken English after a long pause. “But of course I didn’t know all the laws in the U.S.”

Francis set a tentative sentencing date of May 31 for Aleksejev.

The case is USA v. Tsastsin et al, U.S. District Court in Manhattan, No. 11-00878.

(Reporting by Bernard Vaughan; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Best Super Bowl Commercials 2013

For some, the Super Bowl's main attraction happens in between plays when the action switches to the ads (reportedly costing $4 million for 30 seconds) and Joe Schmo becomes Don Draper, judging each commercial with a scotch in one hand and buffalo wing in the other.

WATCH - The 5 Best Super Bowl Movie Trailers

So which spots soared and which were a waste of money? Let's break down the Best and Worst Super Bowl Ads below!

Most Touching - Jeep, 'America Will Be Whole Again

Most Uncomfortable Touching - GoDaddy.com, 'Perfect Match'

Best Use of Celebrity - Best Buy, 'Asking Amy'

Worst Use of Celebrity - Mio, 'Anthem'

Best Party - Taco Bell, 'Viva Young'

Worst Party - Pepsi NEXT, 'Party'

Best Motivation To Put Down The Pizza - Calvin Klein, 'Concept'

Worst Motivation To Put Down The Pizza - Subway, 'Congratulations Jared'

Best Use of Animals - Budwiser, 'Brotherhood'

Worst Use of Animals - Cars.com, 'Wold'

Best Overall - Oreo, 'Whisper Fight' AND Their Impeccably Timed Black Out Tweet

Worst Overall - Wonderful Pistachios, 'Psy Wonderful Pistachios Get Crackin'

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE AD?

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787 grounded, but batteries can fly

WASHINGTON — At the same time the government certified Boeing's 787 Dreamliners as safe, federal rules barred the type of batteries used to power the airliner's electrical systems from being carried as cargo on passenger planes because of the fire risk.

Now the situation is reversed.

Dreamliners worldwide were grounded nearly three weeks ago after lithium ion batteries that are part of the planes led to a fire in one plane and smoke in a second. But new rules exempt aircraft batteries from the ban on large lithium ion batteries as cargo on flights by passenger planes.

AP

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner

In effect, that means the Dreamliner's batteries are now allowed to fly only if they're not attached to a Dreamliner.

The regulations were published on Jan. 7, the same day as a battery fire in a Japan Airlines 787 parked at Boston's Logan International Airport that took firefighters nearly 40 minutes to put out. The timing of the two events appears coincidental.

Pilots and safety advocates say the situation doesn't make sense. If the 787's battery system is too risky to allow the planes to fly, then it's too risky to ship the same batteries as cargo on airliners, they said.

"These incidents have raised the whole issue of lithium batteries and their use in aviation," said Jim Hall, a former National Transportation Safety Board chairman. "Any transport of lithium batteries on commercial aircraft for any purpose should be suspended until (an) NTSB investigation is complete and we know more about this entire issue."

Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, a former US Airways pilot famed for his precision flying that enabled passengers and crew to survive an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York, said in an interview that he wouldn't be comfortable flying an airliner that carried lithium ion aircraft batteries in its cargo hold.

"The potential for self-ignition, for uncontained fires, is huge," he said. The new regulations "need to be looked at very hard in the cold light of day, particularly with what has happened with the 787 batteries."

The battery rules were changed in order to conform US shipping requirements with international standards as required by Congress, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said in a statement.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. agency that sets global aviation standards, adopted the aircraft battery cargo exemption in October 2011, and it went into effect Jan. 1. The organization's standards normally aren't binding. But a provision inserted into US law at the behest of the battery industry and their shippers says the rules can't be stricter than the U.N. agency's standards.

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Bright spots in Latin America despite global economic uncertainty

There are bright spots as Latin American and Caribbean economies begin the year but the uncertain health of the U.S. economy, the lingering financial crisis in Europe and more sluggish growth in China are casting shadows over the region.

A decade ago, dim prospects in those major markets would have delivered a knock-out punch in the region, but this year Latin American and Caribbean economies are expected to grow by 3.5 percent and average 3.9 percent growth in 2014 and 2015, according to a World Bank forecast. The United Nations’ Economic Commission has a slightly more sanguine forecast of 3.8 percent growth in 2013.

Both are better than the 2.4 percent growth the World Bank is forecasting for the global economy and the mere 1.3 percent increase it is predicting for high-income countries.

The U.S. economy grew by 2.2 percent in 2012. But the economy shrank 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter and the first quarter of 2013 also could be sluggish..

“That creates a soggy start for 2013 in Latin America,’’ said David Malpass, president of Encima Global, a New York economic consulting and research firm.

With a recession in Japan, even slower growth expected in Europe than in the United States, and questions about whether the dip in the Chinese economy has bottomed out and whether the United States will be making sharp cuts in defense spending and other federal programs come March 1, Latin American and Caribbean nations can’t really depend on the industrialized world to spur growth.

The region must look inward and undertake structural reforms that will allow growth from domestic factors, said Malpass, who was in Miami in January for an event organized by the University of Miami’s Center for Hemispheric Policy.

Panama’s $5.25 billion investment in expansion of the Panama Canal is an example of the inward focus that will pay off down the road, said Malpass. By 2015, Panama plans to have completed two new sets of locks on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal and the deepening and widening of existing channels to accommodate the so-called Post-Panamax ships too big to traverse the current locks.

“It’s a difficult period but a period where developing countries are growing solidly but not as quickly as they might otherwise want to,’’ said Andrew Burns, the lead author of the World Bank’s annual Global Economic Trends report.

That means they should focus on investment in infrastructure and healthcare, structural policies, regulatory reforms and improvements in governance that will pay future dividends down the road, Burns said.

Such economic reforms, plus high commodity prices enjoyed by countries with fertile fields and mineral wealth, helped the region move beyond the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 far more quickly than it did when it was so dependent on economic cycles in the rest of the world.

Economic growth slowed in Latin America and the Caribbean from 4.3 percent in 2011 to an estimated 3 percent but that was still better than the 1.3 percent growth high-income countries managed in 2012, according to The World Bank.

China will continue to play a major role in Latin America and the Caribbean this year but whether the slowdown in China has reached its low point is subject to debate. But it’s relative. Slow growth in China would be brisk growth elsewhere. China says its gross domestic product grew 7.8 percent in 2012, the most tepid growth in 13 years and a comedown from 9.3 percent growth in 2011.

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Plenty of opinions on fixing the nation’s broken immigration system

Most agree that the nation’s immigration system is broken, but there’s no agreement on fixing it.

This week, the debate over immigration reform emerged once again. President Barack Obama outlined his plan on a visit to Nevada on Tuesday. On Monday, a bipartisan group of eight senators, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, outlined their plan. Both similar, but one key difference is the time it takes for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants to become legal U.S. residents and, eventually, U.S. citizens.

Obama’s plan would allow undocumented immigrants to receive work permits and, presumably, quickly begin the process of applying for permanent legal U.S. residency — more commonly known as a green card. The Senate proposal would put undocumented immigrants in line with everyone else trying to get into country, a process that could take decades to complete.

There is no specific bill on the table, but Obama and top Senate leaders from both sides of the aisle say they want to a bill passed by summer’s end.

The Miami Herald sought the opinions of members of HeraldSource by asking whether undocumented immigrants should be allowed to get on a path to citizenship and what requirements would have to be met to qualify.

The group is part of the popular Public Insight Network and helps The Herald explore timely issues in the news. Here’s a sampling of the comments:

Kirsten Llama, of Miami:

“Yes. As long as they do not commit crimes and make an effort to learn English. They are here. We need them. They take jobs many natives will not take. They will pay their fair share of taxes as citizens. If they serve in the military or work in humanitarian jobs, such as medical and education, they should be given a faster path [to citizenship]. Insist they go home for half a year before they reapply to return. If they do not fulfill their jobs, they should be sent home.

Ed Wujciak, of Hollywood:

Yes. The presence of “second-class residents,” which is what undocumented immigrants are, creates great strains in our society. These people are vulnerable, afraid, and powerless to participate in the society they live in. They are here because the U.S. government has had a “see no evil” attitude toward them. They were allowed to come and stay because they work cheap and boost corporate profits, but they are powerless to improve their situation. In other words, they’re perfect employees. Plus, their presence in such great numbers puts great downward pressure on the wages and working conditions of everyone else. Our policy toward these people has been dishonest and exploitative. Our policies acted as an unspoken invitation and we owe them the dignity of legal status.

Fred San Millan, of Miami:

No. It will open a floodgate and more people will invade the United States, creating a real social calamity that will definitely affect this country forever on all fronts, social and economic. I would keep the same rules of a balanced quota for each country, and register the illegal in this country without persecuting them, however. [I suggest] a nationwide referendum for this immigration problem.

Ed Gugliotta, of Miami Beach:

No. Not before all the others that are legally in line waiting for their chance, such as family members, professional workers [H1B or O visas, investors E1, L1] visas, who have been in the country for many years, abiding by the law, paying taxes, investing and waiting patiently their so slow process to obtain at least a green card. Ease the process of obtaining the Green Card for family members and workers that have shown good faith and honest intention on becoming valuable and productive residents, Undocumented immigrants can then follow the legal path to citizenship. Secure the borders so no more illegals can access the American soil, and undocumented already here (although they are technically felons) must learn the language, have a local resident or citizen as sponsor, no criminal background, and some kind of skill useful for the nation. Then they could obtain some kind of parole permit that would allow them to stay, have a job, get a driver’s license, pay taxes and a two-year test period before accessing a special, say, blue card that would allow them to stay for 5 years, and subsequently, if accepted, request the green card.

Sergio R. Bustos is The Miami Herald’s politics and state government editor. He can be reached at sbustos@MiamiHerald.com. Public Insight Journalism Analyst Stefania Ferro can be reached at sferro@ MiamiHerald.com. Sign up for the Public Insight Network by going to MiamiHerald.com/Insight.

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China May (or May Not) Be Behind the Twitter Hack

You may not have heard, but roughly 250,000 Twitter accounts may have been compromised by hackers. There’s a theory that — if you read between the lines — Twitter is implying the Chinese are to blame for compromising their security. 

RELATED: The Chinese Want to Know Why Their News Is on Twitter and They Aren’t

Twitter revealed that roughly a quarter million accounts may have been compromised by hackers in a blog post Friday evening. (A classic Friday evening news dump if there ever was one; they got a $ 10 billion valuation the same day.) 

RELATED: A Punk Prince, Women in the Military, a New Tennis Controversy

Bandits might have made away with “usernames, email addresses, session tokens and encrypted/salted versions of passwords – for approximately 250,000 users.” They think. A Twitter representative stressed to the Verge that they’re still investigating; there’s a chance we’re all safe. 

RELATED: World Languages Mapped by Twitter

But was China behind it all?! That’s an emerging theory. We don’t know who was behind it. Twitter doesn’t say directly. None of the usual suspects have claimed ownership of the attack. (Yet.)

RELATED: The Good, the Bad, and the Fuzzy of Twitter’s New Censorship Rules

But Twitter mentions the New York Times and Wall Street Journal hacks in their opening paragraph, apropos of nothing, really. It could mean the company was just trying to show they’re not alone in being targeted — look at these bullies picking on these other kids, too. Or it could mean they’re subtly implying China is behind it all. 

RELATED: Did the Berlin Wall’s Fall Save China?

The last paragraph in Twitter’s statement is where the theory really gets its legs. Emphasis ours: 

This attack was not the work of amateurs, and we do not believe it was an isolated incident. The attackers were extremely sophisticated, and we believe other companies and organizations have also been recently similarly attacked. For that reason we felt that it was important to publicize this attack while we still gather information, and we are helping government and federal law enforcement in their effort to find and prosecute these attackers to make the Internet safer for all users. 

So, did they do it? These sophisticated hackers who targeted other companies and organizations sure sounds like they’re implying it was China.

Was it China in the basement with the Cheetos and Red Bull and impressive coding skill? We don’t know for sure, but we’re definitely looking for any and every clue we can find. 

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Buzzmakers: SAG Winners Pics and Nicole Kidman Explains Jimmy Kimmel Lap Dance

What had ET readers buzzing this week?

1. PICS: SAG Winners with their Statues!

Some of Hollywood's biggest stars gathered Sunday night to honor acting achievements at the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Anne Hathaway -- winner of the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Les Misérables -- kicks off our gallery of the stars accepting their handsome statuettes!

Click here for all the pics!

2. Nicole Kidman on Her Lap Dance for Jimmy Kimmel

Nicole Kidman raised eyebrows during Matt Damon's Jimmy Kimmel Live! takeover when she greeted Kimmel -- who was strapped to a chair -- with a lap dance. On the SAG Awards red carpet, the Oscar winner explained the move to Nancy O'Dell.

Kidman described the dance as "impromptu," saying that she was just following the lead of another one of the night's guests.

"Robin Williams had done it before, so I thought, 'Well, why not?'" Kidman explained.

For years Kimmel has had a running joke where he ends every episode by apologizing to Matt Damon for running out of time for him. On last week's special episode of the late-night show -- nine years in the making -- Damon recruited some friends (which included Andy Garcia, Sheryl Crow, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Robert DeNiro, Sarah Silverman, Demi Moore and Oprah Winfrey.

3. Top-Earning 'American Idol' Alums

American Idol is in the business of making music stars, and in turn, has made lots of money for some of their contestants. Forbes released their list of the top-earning Idol alums of 2012 a few names on this list are sure to surprise you.

Click here for the entire list!

4. Jennifer Lawrence Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction

It seemed like disaster for Jennifer Lawrence when her dress came apart just as she was called up to accept the award for Best Actress during the 2013 SAG Awards.

The Silver Linings Playbook star's apparent wardrobe malfunction caught the eye of both Marion Cotillard and Nicole Kidman, whose reaction to the getup coming apart at the seams was caught on camera. No disaster, here, though -- it turns out the dress was designed that way! A source close to designer Dior told ET that the dress did not rip -- that it was made with different layers of tulle and satin.

This minor outfit hitch comes after it was announced that Lawrence, 22, has walking pneumonia, making this one of the best and worst weeks for the award-winning actress.

5. Kris Jenner Lands Talk Show

Are you ready for a daily dose of Kris Jenner?

The TV personality will test the talk show waters this summer when Fox premieres a preview episode of Kris, a one-hour entertainment talk show. "This is something I have wanted to do all my life so it's definitely a dream come true," Jenner said in a statement! "I can't wait for this new adventure to begin and look forward to working alongside Twentieth Television and the Fox Television Stations."

Kris will be rolled out in a similar fashion to how Bethenny Frankel's talk show was last summer, with the network testing the waters to see if there's an audience appetite for more of this famous family. According to a press release, the show will "offer daytime viewers a daily jolt of celebrity guests, fashion & beauty trends; plus a mix of lifestyle topics -- all through the distinctive and unpredictable perspective of Kris Jenner. Filmed in Los Angeles, CA, the pop culture driven talk show will bring a cool blast of fun and high energy to summer television."

The trial run of Kris will launch this summer, with the program available on select Fox-owned stations in markets, including New York and Los Angeles.

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Deadly deserts

Ralph Peters

Violence in Allah’s name in northern Africa won’t end in my lifetime — and probably not in yours. The core question is: To what extent can the savagery be contained?

From the Atlantic coastline to the Suez Canal, struggling governments, impoverished populations and frankly backward societies struggle to find paths to modernization and to compete in a ruthless global economy. Religious fanatics for whom progress is a betrayal of faith hope to block development.

Still, if the only conflict was between Islamist terrorists and those who want civilized lives, the situation could be managed over time. But that struggle forms only one level in a layer cake of clashing visions and outright civil wars bedeviling a vast region. Much larger than Europe, the zone of contention encompasses the Maghreb, the countries touching the Mediterranean, and the Sahel, the bitterly poor states stretching down across desert wastes to the African savannah.

AFP/Getty Images

Figthers of the Islamic group Ansar Dine

The Sahel is the front line not only between the world of Islam and Christian-animist cultures in Africa’s heart, but between Arabs and light-skinned tribes in the north, and blacks to the south. No area in the world so explicitly illustrates the late, great Samuel Huntington’s concept of “the clash of civilizations.”

If racial and religious differences were not challenge enough, in the Maghreb the factions and interest groups are still more complicated. We view Egypt as locked in a contest between Islamists and “our guys,” Egyptians seeking new freedoms. But Egypt’s identity struggle is far more complex, involving social liberals, moderate Muslims, stern conservative Muslims (such as the Muslim Brotherhood) and outright fanatics. The military forms another constituency, while the business community defends its selfish interests. Then there are the supporters of the old Mubarak regime, the masses of educated-but-unemployed youth and the bitterly poor peasants.

Atop all that there’s the question of whether the values cherished by Arab societies can adapt to a globalized world.

The path to Egypt’s future will not be smooth — yet Egypt’s chances are better than those of many of its neighbors. Consider a few key countries in the region:

Mali

Viva la France! (Never thought I’d write that in The Post.) Contrary to a lot of media nonsense, the effective French intervention in Mali demonstrates that not every military response to Islamist terror has to become another Afghanistan: The French are welcome.

As extremists invariably do, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies rapidly alienated their fellow Muslims — after hijacking a local uprising. The local version of Islam is far more humane and tolerant than the Wahhabi cult imposed by Islamist fanatics. To the foreign extremists, the Malian love of Sufi mysticism, ancient shrines and their own centuries of religious scholarship are all hateful — as is the Malian genius for music that’s pleased listeners around the world.

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Hollywood cardiologist’s ties with St. Jude sales rep raises red flags

Mark Sabbota, a Hollywood cardiologist, regularly implants $5,000 pacemakers in patients at Memorial hospitals in South Broward — generating, last year alone, more than a half-million dollars in sales for a manufacturer called St. Jude Medical.

Sabbota, public records show, also happens to be partners with a St. Jude sales rep in two corporations that run frozen yogurt shops.

What’s yogurt got to do with healthcare?

Perhaps nothing. Perhaps a lot. The question is connected to an on-going lobbying battle in Washington over a pending disclosure policy intended to more clearly reveal financial ties between physicians and the healthcare industry — often-murky relationships that have produced a long history of whistle-blower lawsuits, federal investigations and fines.

Sabbota, in a brief interview, adamantly denied any conflict of interest. “There has been no wrongdoing at all,” he said.

Memorial spokeswoman Kerting Baldwin also said the hospital saw no problem with the yogurt arrangement. As a “community” doctor, not a staff employee, Baldwin said Sabbota can select from a list of pacemakers approved by the hospital but has no say over what companies made the list.

“As for why he prefers to use St. Jude, I won’t speak for him,’’ she said. “You’d have to ask him that.”

But several medical ethics experts said such relationships fall in a gray area. They raise what Kenneth Goodman, bioethics director at the University of Miami, called “red flags” about whether the doctor’s motivation in choosing a device “is something other than the best interests of the patient.”

“Maybe it’s just a good business arrangement that has nothing to do with the devices he chooses,” said Charles D. Rosen, a California physician who is co-founder of the Association for Medical Ethics. “But the issue is public disclosure and transparency. You as a patient should have the right to know about a doctor’s financial relationships with companies.”

Concerns about the relationship between doctors and healthcare companies have been simmering for years. Americans are so suspicious of doctors’ connections that, in a 2008 Pew Charitable Trusts survey, 86 percent of patients said doctors should not be allowed to get free dinners from drug makers and 70 percent said doctors shouldn’t even be allowed to get free notepads and pens.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act includes a provision intended to address some aspects of these often-cozy relationships. Starting Jan. 1, healthcare companies were supposed to publicly post how much they were paying doctors. But that provision has been held up in the White House by intense lobbying.

“I don’t know why the hold-up, except the intense opposition of the industry,” Rosen said. His group, including members of the Harvard Medical School and Cleveland Clinic, wrote a letter to the Obama administration last month protesting the delay.

The group complains that the healthcare industry is trying to soften the rules so that foreign subsidiaries and doctors engaged in clinical trials wouldn’t have to reveal payments. But even if the disclosure rules are implemented, a side deal like Sabbota’s yogurt company would not have to be revealed under the new law, Rosen said.

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