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Miami-Dade Police Department welcomes new director

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) ushers in a new era with the appointment of Stephanie Daniels as its director. With over 30 years of dedicated service within the department, Daniels, now the first black woman to lead the force, steps into the role of interim director.Daniels takes the reins from former director Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Ramirez, who has been on leave since a tragic incident over the summer. Ramirez will return in a new role designed to help prepare the department for the transition to an elected sheriff.

Pizza Hut selling snake pizza in Hong Kong

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

Hong Kong (CNN) — American company Pizza Hut has teamed up with a century-old Hong Kong restaurant to put a modern spin on a traditional dish, or more simply, snake on a pizza.The new offering combines shredded snake meat, black mushrooms and Chinese dried ham – all indispensable ingredients of an authentic snake stew and part of the Hong Kong franchise’s marketing plot to generate buzz online.Some diners in Hong Kong and around southern China have long enjoyed snake stew, especially during the colder months.According to a saying in the local Cantonese dialect, the best time to eat snake is “when the autumn wind begins to blow” – when they’ve fattened up to prepare for hibernation.Many believe that snake meat has medicinal properties, improving skin conditions and warming up the body.A rich culinary culture based on snakes is common across other parts of Southeast Asia too, such as Vietnam and Thailand, where snakes are usually farmed for consumption.“Paired with cheese and dic...

Pembroke Park mayor dismisses gun allegations in commission meeting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

A Pembroke Park Commission meeting was suddenly stopped following a police call alleging Mayor Ashira Mohammed possessed a firearm. In Wednesday night’s meeting, Mayor Mohammed took center stage to address the commission and dismiss the serious accusation by Commissioner Geoffrey Jacobs. “It has come to my attention that the police have been called because there is an allegation by the commissioner that I have a weapon on me, particularly that I have a gun on me,” said Mayor Mohammed. “So with that, I’m going to allow the chief to search my purse, on the record, so that everyone can see.” Mayor Mohammed, determined to address the situation transparently, expressed frustration at what she deemed “baseless allegations” that consume valuable time and resources. As the police chief searched the mayor’s handbag, no weapon was found. In a bold move, Mayor Mohammed voluntarily showcased her person, patting herself down to emphasize the ...

Some Showers with Near-Record Heat Late Week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

A rather persistent weather pattern remains in place as the overall nice stretch of weather continues.This is courtesy of high pressure in place across the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, extending its dominance into Florida and therefore allowing for generally quiet conditions.Given an easterly wind, which will be breezy at times along the coast today, there are some pockets of moisture sitting offshore, which could head onshore throughout our Thursday.Therefore, a few showers will be possible, especially this morning and early afternoon, depending on how these areas of moisture evolve. Otherwise, expect times of sun and clouds with above average highs in the mid to upper 80s.These highs today and through this weekend will be 3-6F above average for this time of the year.That means near-record high temperatures are expected. Thankfully, record heat in November is not as brutal or extreme as record heat in the summer months!Friday will be a fairly similar story as today with the chance ...

EU justice chief warns Spain over Catalan amnesty deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

BRUSSELS — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has just secured the key support from Catalan separatists that he needs to remain in power, but the amnesty bill his Socialist Party has promised to file in exchange for their support has kicked off a war of words between Brussels and Madrid.Thursday’s deal between Sánchez and former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont’s Junts party commits the Socialists to file a bill in the Spanish parliament that will give amnesty to those prosecuted for their involvement in the failed 2017 Catalan independence referendum. The exact scope and extension of the draft legislation, which is expected to be presented in the Spanish parliament in the coming days, has not yet been made clear.In a letter addressed to Spain’s justice and presidency ministers on Wednesday, the European Union’s Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said there were “serious concerns” about the amnesty bill, the existence of which has been the subjec...

Mike Preston’s midseason report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 7-2 start | COMMENTARY

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

The Ravens have won four straight games and five of their past six, but the second half of the season will be tougher.Their streak includes big wins against top NFC teams — Detroit (38-6) and Seattle (37-3) — but the Ravens (7-2) now must face division foes Cleveland and Cincinnati in back-to-back weeks, take on the Chargers and Rams, then close out the regular season at Jacksonville and San Francisco before hosting Miami and Pittsburgh.These will be different Browns (5-3) and Bengals (5-3) teams than the ones the Ravens beat earlier this season. Cleveland played without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has missed much of the season with a shoulder injury but returned last week, and Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow lacked mobility because of an injured calf. He’s been back to his usual self amid a four-game winning streak.But that’s looking into the future. Before the second half of 2023 begins, The Baltimore Sun gives out its position-by-position gr...

Callahan: The Patriots’ midseason MVP, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

It’s been a rough year in Foxboro.Playoff hopes shot before Thanksgiving, the worst nine-game start to a season since 2000, every blue-chip talent on the roster down with injury. Yet the Patriots persist.And as they trudge through the midpoint of their latest campaign, let’s hand out some hardware.Here are the Herald’s midseason awards for the 2023 Patriots.Most Improved PlayerLB Jahlani TavaiA punchline upon arrival two years ago, Tavai is now a key cog in Bill Belichick’s front seven.He is the only player on the Patriots to record a sack, a forced fumble and an interception so far this season. He’s tied for third on the team in tackles (54) and tied for fourth in pass deflections, with corners Jonathan Jones and J.C. Jackson. Tavai flips from playing on the edge to playing off the ball like no other linebacker on the roster.He’ll never reach a Pro Bowl, but Tavai has successfully established himself as an NFL starter. He’s opened all but o...

US diplomat assures Kosovo that new draft of association of Serb municipalities offers no autonomy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The U.S. ambassador urged Kosovo’s government on Thursday to proceed with establishing an association of its Serb majority towns in order to unblock European Union-facilitated normalization talks with Serbia.U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey M. Hovenier said “there is no reason for the government of Kosovo not to move forward with this draft statute.”Normalization talks between Kosovo and Serbia have failed to make progress, particularly following a September shootout between masked Serb gunmen and Kosovo police that left four people dead and ratcheted up tensions in the region.The EU and the United States are pressing both countries to implement agreements that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti reached earlier this year. During a trip to the region at the end of last month, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Kosovo to establish an Association of the Serb-Majority Municipalities and pushed Serbia to deliver “...

Nigeria’s president signs controversial bill for a presidential yacht and SUVs for lawmakers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a supplementary budget earmarking millions of dollars for a presidential yacht and sport utility vehicles for his wife and top government officials has again stoked anger among ordinary Nigerians over what they see as a growing economic disparity. Tinubu on Wednesday signed into law the budget that allocates $38 million for the presidential air fleet and other renovations. Some $6.1 million budgeted earlier for the the yacht was assigned by lawmakers to “student loans” – with the senate’s approval. The country’s navy said it had taken delivery of the yacht, but “it has not been paid for.”Presidential spokesperson Anjuri Ngelale defended the supplemental budget as serving to “strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and address Nigeria’s critical infrastructure deficit, amongst other considerations.”The spokesperson said about 30% of the money would be spent on security, and another 35% on “provisi...

Quebecor reports Q3 profit and revenue up from year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:52 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebecor Inc. reported its third-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago as the acquisition of Freedom Mobile Inc. earlier this year helped boost revenue.The company reported $209.3 million in net income attributable to shareholders for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from $178.4 million a year earlier.Quebecor says the profit amounted to 91 cents per share, up from 76 cents per share in the same quarter last year.Revenue for the quarter totalled $1.42 billion, up from $1.14 billion a year earlier.Quebecor says its adjusted income from continuing operating amounted to 88 cents per share, up from 75 cents per share in the same quarter last year.Last week, Quebecor’s TVA Group announced it was laying off 547 employees — nearly a third of its workforce — as part of plan that involves overhauling its news division, ending its in-house entertainment content production and optimizing its real estate assets.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, ...