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Man found guilty of 2nd-degree murder, attempted murder in NW Miami-Dade banquet hall shooting sentenced to life in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

A man who was convicted of second-degree murder after a mass shooting occurred at a South Florida banquet hall was sentenced to life in prison. On Sept. 29, Devonte Barnes, 24, was found guilty on three counts of second-degree murder and 20 counts of attempted second-degree murder for his involvement in a mass shooting that took place at the El Mula Banquet Hall on May 30, 2021. Barnes was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder with a deadly weapon.During the busy sentencing hearing on Friday for Barnes, who was found guilty of being the lookout, the defense requested a new trial, which was denied. Family members of those who were killed at the banquet hall were also present and sat front and center for the sentencing hearing.One of the victims, Desmond Owens Clayton Dillard III died at the scene and Shankquia Peterson passed away at the hospital after fighting for her life. “You killed them, all, and hurt all of them them,” said Clayton ...

911 calls released after small plane crash lands in the Everglades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

SOUTHWEST BROWARD, Fla. (WSVN) — Police released 911 calls after a pilot crashed his plane in the Florida Everglades during the middle of the night.The pilot, identified as 19-year-old Eshaan Majundar, was rescued Tuesday in the area of Mack’s Fish Camp, located at 18599 Krome Avenue, after being stranded overnight when his plane went down. From the newly released calls, the caller appeared to be someone affiliated with the aircraft who called for help when she realized the plane was missing. Dispatcher: “You said you can’t get in contact with the pilot, is that correct?”Woman: No, we have not been in contact with the pilot.”Majundar left the Okeechobee Airport sometime overnight, flew south and crashed off West Broward County.According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue officials, upon arrival, units discovered Majundar sitting on the wing of the downed aircraft suffering from a leg injury.Miami-Dade Fire Rescue also arrived at the scene and performed a hoist op...

Caught on camera: Miami Springs Police looking to identify gas station vandal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

The Miami Springs Police Department’s Investigations Division is actively seeking assistance from the public to identify an individual captured on surveillance footage vandalizing a gas station. According to police, the incident occurred on Oct. 24 at a gas station on Northwest 36th Street in Miami Springs. In the video, which was shared on the Miami Springs Police Instagram page, the unidentified subject can be seen pushing over a display case containing merchandise near the cash register. They then reach over the counter to grab an item, briefly exit the frame, return to jump onto the checkout counter, and chase the alarmed employee around the store while smoking a cigarette.The video concludes with another man casually enjoying a hot dog as he waits to check out.Anyone with information that could lead to the identification and location of this individual is urged to contact the Miami Springs Police Department at (305) 888-9711.

Meloni adviser steps down over Russian hoax call

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday said her diplomatic adviser Francesco Maria Talò resigned over a prank call on Wednesday in which Meloni told two Russian comedians that European leaders are ‘tired’ of the war in Ukraine, thinking she was speaking with African Union officials.“The call was dealt with carelessly and exposed the nation,” Meloni said, according to Italian press agency ANSA.The leaked conversation came amid fears the West’s support for Ukraine will wane as international attention has been redirected to Israel since the attack by Hamas last month. Ukrainian politicians appealed to Europe not to abandon the country after the unintentional disclosure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the West not to let up in its support for Ukraine, saying in an interview with Time: “Exhaustion with the war rolls along like a wave. You see it in the United States, in Europe.”Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Ukraine could n...

Blinken in Israel: ‘We need to do more to protect Palestinian civilians’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

Tel Aviv (CNN) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday issued a strong message after a day of meetings with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv, declaring, “we need to do more to protect Palestinian civilians.”In some of his most forceful comments to date, the top US diplomat said that “civilians should not suffer the consequences for (Hamas’) inhumanity and its brutality.”Still, Blinken continued to offer support for Israel’s “right” and “obligation” to defend itself after the brutal October 7 Hamas attacks.The top US diplomat, who appeared visibly shaken while speaking to the press, described seeing new graphic images and videos of the attacks, calling it “striking” and “shocking” that the brutality of the attack “has receded so quickly in the memories of so many.”“Today, we saw additional images, additional footage collected by the Israeli government from video cameras, some the terrorists, some others and communities that were attacked,” Blinken said after v...

Retired businessman will lead Boy Scouts of America as it emerges from scandal-driven bankruptcy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

The new president of the Boy Scouts of America plans to reverse the trend of declining membership and improve safety programs as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a sexual abuse scandal.Roger Krone, a retired businessman and Eagle Scout, was named Friday as the new chief executive of the 113-year-old youth organization, replacing the retiring Roger Mosby as the top administrator.A federal judge in March upheld the $2.4 billion bankruptcy plan for the Irving, Texas-based organization, which allowed it to keep operating while compensating more than 80,000 men who filed claims saying they were sexually abused while in scouting. The trust recently began paying claimants who elected an expedited amount of $3,500, the organization said in an email to The Associated Press. Others must complete questionnaires and submit supporting documentation, and only a few payments have been made in that process.Some local Boy Scout councils have sold about 15 properties to sa...

More travelers are using buy now, pay later for holiday trips

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

By Sean Cudahy | NerdWalletThe holidays are fast approaching, and the time to book holiday flights is even closer. But as travelers securing end-of-year trip reservations begin to reach for their wallets, another payment option is on the table.A growing list of airlines offers travelers the chance to buy expensive flights now and get an interest-free loan to pay off the purchase in smaller monthly installments. These “buy now, pay later” financing options are available through third-party providers, like Affirm, Uplift, Klarna or PayPal Credit, directly on the airline’s checkout page.Almost 1 in 5 holiday travelers (about 18%) plan to use a buy now, pay later service to pay for their holiday travel expenses, according to a NerdWallet survey conducted by The Harris Poll in September among over 2,000 U.S. adults. For the purposes of the survey, holiday travelers were defined as people who plan to spend money on flights/hotels for 2023 holiday travel.Buy now, pay late...

Israel rules out Gaza cease-fire until hostages released, as US presses for aid, civilian protection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

By NAJIB JOBAIN, BASSEM MROUE and DAVID RISING (Associated Press)KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — The United States urged Israel on Friday to ensure more humanitarian aid gets into Gaza and to do more to protect Palestinian civilians, as Israel’s prime minister said there would be no cease-fire in the nearly month-old war until Hamas releases hostages. The leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group stoked fears that the conflict could widen by promising more attacks along the Lebanon border.Israeli troops tightened their encirclement of Gaza City, the focus of their campaign to crush the enclave’s ruling Hamas terrorists, who launched a brutal attack on Israeli communities that started the war. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.But ever since that Oct. 7 assault, there have been concerns the conflict could ignite fighting on other fronts, and Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah have repe...

Texas Rangers and their fans celebrate World Series title with parade in Arlington

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Thousands of Texas Rangers fans were already lined up along a 2-mile stretch near the team’s ballpark hours before a parade Friday to celebrate the franchise’s first World Series championship.The parade comes two days after the Rangers wrapped up the World Series with a 5-0 win on the road in Game 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It came a week after Texas won the series opener on an 11th-inning homer by Adolis García after Corey Seager hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to tie the game.World Series MVP Seager, AL Championship Series MVP García and all of the Rangers players were expected to participate in the parade in the entertainment district of Arlington, the city where they play along Interstate 30 halfway between downtown Fort Worth and downtown Dallas. The Rangers arrived home in North Texas on Thursday. All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien exited first, hoisting the World Series trophy into the air as he stepped out of the plane....

Blinken warns Israel that humanitarian conditions in Gaza must improve to have ‘partners for peace’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:01 GMT

TEL AVIV (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel on Friday that it risks destroying an eventual possibility for peace unless it acts swiftly to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza for Palestinian civilians as it intensifies its war against Hamas. In a blunt call for Israel to pause military operations in the territory to allow for the immediate and increased delivery of assistance, Blinken said the current situation would drive Palestinians toward further radicalism and effectively end prospects for any eventual resumption of peace talks to end the conflict.“There will be no partners for peace if they’re consumed by humanitarian catastrophe and alienated by any perceived indifference to their plight,” Blinken said.The comments to reporters in Tel Aviv, following meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials, amounted to some of the Biden administration’s strongest warnings since the brutal Oct. 7 rampage by Ham...