Miami’s Top Five: What you should know Wednesday

1. The lack of mortgages in South Florida — from cash real estate deals as well as foreclosures ...

HOMESTEAD

South Florida biologist recovering from rattlesnake bite

Joe Wasilewski spent 8 days in ICU after an Eastern diamondback rattler bit him while he was cleaning its c...

Dade Medical College’s Homestead makeover scuttled

Homestead has rejected a land sale with Dade Medical College owner Ernesto Perez, who is at the center of n...

POLITICS

New documents show another degree controversy dogs Scott's chief of staff

Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, received his communications degree in 2009 &#x...

ENVIRONMENT

Young Florida panther shot, killed in Big Cypress

The National Park Service is trying to find out who shot and killed an 18-month-old female Florida panther ...

Miami-Dade Schools

With charter enrollment surging, Miami-Dade public schools look to tighten the rules

A new study shows charter school enrollment surging, raising concerns for urban public schools

Zoo Miami’s last surviving lion cub shipped to Baltimore for a better life

Zoo Miami has sent its lone surviving lion cub North in the hopes she’ll have a better life.

TRAVELING

9 must-haves for a holiday road trip

Whether you’re going on a cross-country road trip or just a short journey to grandma’s house,...

10 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

DC readies weekly series, 'Futures End' for spring

Quotations in the News

"I just hope I won't cry. It's amazing to think that 19 years ago he was inaugurated there, and now he's ly...

The nation's weather

Weather Underground Forecast for Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013

Key findings on gender pay gap, workplace equality

Key findings on the gender pay gap and attitudes toward workplace equality, according to a new report from ...

Plodding storm moves out of US at last

The storm that iced over Dallas, buried Philadelphia in snow and stranded drivers and air travelers everywh...

A look at the congressional budget agreement

A congressional budget agreement avoids a government shutdown in January and sets spending for defense and ...

How the AP-GfK poll was conducted

The Associated Press-GfK poll on President Obama, Congress and the 2014 election was conducted by GfK Publi...

Saudi convicts man of plotting to kill officials

State-run media in Saudi Arabia say a court has convicted a man of being an al-Qaida operative and plotting...

Pakistan's high-profile chief justice retires

Pakistan's chief justice has stepped down after a high-profile career during which he was praised for prote...

UK woman wins right to marry in Scientology chapel

Britain's highest court has ruled in favor of a woman who wants to marry in a Church of Scientology chapel.

1 dead as crane collapses onto German supermarket

German police say one person has been killed and at least five others injured when a crane collapsed onto a...

Gulf nations to create joint military command

Six Gulf Arab nations wrapped up a summit meeting in Kuwait by agreeing to establish a joint military comma...

Syrian refugees hit hard by Mideast snow storm

The United Nations refugee agency says it is "extremely concerned" for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refu...

Audit: EU pays Palestinians in Gaza who don't work

European Union auditors recommended Wednesday that the EU stop paying the salaries of Palestinian civil ser...

Mandela ceremony interpreter called a 'fake'

A man who provided sign language interpretation on stage for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, attended by...

Carolyn Hax

Carolyn Hax: Family has endless obsessions about weight

Dear Carolyn: Each and every member of my immediate family views thinness as the absolute key measure of su...

Seven-day menu planner

Plan your meals a week at a time or pick and choose your favorites. Each meal comes with a shopping list.

WISH BOOK

Wish Book: After bout with cancer, 2-year-old in Little Havana would like to attend Doral preschool

A child diagnosed with synovial sarcoma adds to the burden of an already financially-strapped family.

Chew on this

At breakfast, think outside the (cereal) box

Diabetes

Early intervention is key for diabetic foot issues

In January, Jose Mella, 55, of Miami noticed a blister on the bottom of his right foot.

Holiday Sweets

Chef teaches class on decorating gingerbread houses

The $50 fee includes a gingerbread house and decorating materials. The next class is Saturday.

Health and fitness calendar for Dec. 10

Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, best-selling author of “The Power of Self Healing;” 7 p.m. Thursday; Ba...

Skin Deep

How to care for your nose this flu season

When you come down with the flu or a bad cold, the coughing, congestion, aches and pains are usually the ma...

Marlins

Miami Marlins’ addition of Garrett Jones puts Logan Morrison on trading block

The Marlins finalized their deal with first baseman Garrett Jones as teams flooded Dan Jennings’ pho...

Pacers 90, Heat 84

Miami Heat fades in second half, falls to Indiana Pacers

After a big first quarter, the Heat fell flat against a charged-up Pacers team in a fired-up arena, as Indi...

Local roundup

Henrik Wiersholm, Stefan Kozlov move on at Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships

Henrik Wiersholm and Stefan Kozlov could probably be tearing their way through the 16-and-under division of...

UM women’s basketball | Caprice Dennis

Caprice Dennis’ family continues to expand with UM women’s basketball team

UM Caprice Dennis initially committed to Kansas, but visited UM and fell in love. She especially enjoyed th...

Miami-Dade High School roundup

Rivals Ransom Everglades, Gulliver Prep prove equals in boys’ soccer

Rivals Ransom Everglades and Gulliver Prep proved to be evenly matched in a 0-0 tie Tuesday night at Robert...

Football | American Heritage vs. Green Cove Springs Clay

American Heritage coach Mike Rumph wants to build consistent success

First-year coach Mike Rumph wants to build the American Heritage Patriots into a perennial football power, ...

Panthers 3, Red Wings 2 (SO, 2-1)

Florida Panthers again shoot down Detroit Red Wings

Brad Boyes’ goal in the shootout gave the Panthers their second victory against the Red Wings in fou...

In My Opinion

Armando Salguero: Miami Dolphins not dwelling on the past with New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have beaten the Dolphins seven consecutive times. In the past decade, they have do...

La vida local

Bobby Flay won’t make SoBe Wine and Food Fest, opens Bobby’s Burger Palace at Dadeland Mall

Radar

Hot stuff celebrities love

Christopher Radko knows Christmas. Known for its attention to detail and handcrafted workmanship, the North...

The calendar

Calling all Miami HEAT fans! Head to Tarpon Bend Food & Tackle for the official 2013 Miami Heat Road Rally ...

Scene in the Tropics

Hilton sisters, Adrian Grenier round out star-studded Basel weekend

As seen on TV

‘Sing off’ host Nick Lachey in perfect harmony

La vida local

Demi Lovato a headliner at Y100 Jingle Ball

Celebrity birthdays on Dec 9

Gossip extra

Strange turns in Justin Bieber case

The lawsuit brought by a Miami Beach paparazzo against pop star Justin Bieber and one of his bodyguards is ...

CUBA

Cuban police detain dozens of dissidents on human rights anniversary

The detentions appear to have increased because of the growing number of opposition activities planned to m...

WAR ON TERROR

UN officials lament Guantánamo repatriation

United Nations experts on torture, human rights express concern over the fate of a Guantánamo detainee...

Venezuela

Venezulea municipal race stymies opposition hopes

Venezuela’s opposition was hoping to make gains in Sunday’s municipal race. Instead, the gove...

CUBA

Cuban dissidents call for protests and gatherings to mark International Human Rights Day on Tuesday

Despite several warnings by the Cuban government that it will not allow any disruptions, the Ladies in Whit...

Oppenheimer

Secretary of State Kerry reaches out to Venezuela after elections

Secretary of State John Kerry tackles Venezuelan elections, NSA spying allegations, Cuba’s detention...

Colombia

Thousands gather in Bogota to defend deposed mayor

The mayor of Colombia’s capital was ordered to step down due to last year’s garbage crisis. G...

CUBA

Cuban diplomats in Washington resume consular work

U.S. bank extends the deadline for closing Cuban diplomatic missions’ accounts until March 1

CUBA

A sudden surge in Cuban migrants

At least 44,000 Cubans arrived in the United States in the year ending Sept. 30. It is the highest total si...

POLITICS

New documents show another degree controversy dogs Scott's chief of staff

Gov. Rick Scott’s chief of staff, Adam Hollingsworth, received his communications degree in 2009 &#x...

Marc Caputo: Hollingsworth’s lie about PR degree bad spin for Gov. Rick Scott

JOBS IN FLORIDA: THE RICK SCOTT RECORD

Gov. Rick Scott boasts about creating new jobs, but the numbers tell a far different story

Gov. Rick Scott campaigned in 2010 on a promise to create 700,000 jobs, but the jobs he can most directly d...

When state dollars don’t pay dividends

After receiving more than $700,000 in economic incentives from the state, a Bradenton ambulance production ...

Gov. Rick Scott’s ‘lost’ jobs

The untold chapter in Gov. Rick Scott’s jobs story: the thousands of lost jobs in every sector and reg...

HOMESTEAD

Homestead may pull plug on land deal with tarnished Dade Medical College boss

Homestead chose Dade Medical College as the new centerpiece of its downtown — but now the city has h...

HEALTHCARE

Nurse education expansion creates failing programs

Florida lawmakers hoping to stave off a nurse shortfall has opened the door for second-rate schools.

JOBS IN FLORIDA: THE RICK SCOTT RECORD

New frontier for Space Coast jobs

In Gov. Rick Scott’s quest to find more private-sector jobs, the CEO-turned-governor sometimes relie...

Jazz guitar master Jim Hall dies at 83

Jim Hall, one of the leading jazz guitarists of the modern era, whose subtle technique, lyrical sound and i...

Rabin, popular Wis. music conductor, dies at 97

Marvin Rabin, a music conductor who founded youth orchestras in Wisconsin and Massachusetts and whose stude...

Decatur musician who inspired others dead at 68

Ella Wyker Martin said she will never forget the late-August day in 1972 when her brother, John D. Wyker II...

Betty Quadracci, co-founder of Quad/Graphics, dies

Quad/Graphics Inc. co-founder Betty Quadracci, who also was president of Milwaukee Magazine and a champion ...

'Sound of Music' actress Eleanor Parker dies at 91

Longtime high school teacher Evelyn Counts dies in Coconut Grove

Character actress Kate Williamson dead at 82

'La Cage aux Folles' director dies

Edouard Molinaro, nominated for an Oscar for directing "La Cage aux Folles," a French farce about a gay cou...

TOURISM

Fort Lauderdale tops list of lowest travel taxes

Once again, Fort Lauderdale can claim bragging rights as a top hotel market with the lowest travel taxes.

REAL ESTATE

South Florida trailing in consumer debt

A lack of mortgages has South Florida trailing the pack when it comes to consumer debt.

WORK/LIFE BALANCING ACT

Gift-giving in the workplace: Proceed with caution

One day in the company lunchroom, Jason Ibarra and his co-workers had a conversation about what they were g...

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM names Barra first female CEO

Mary T. Barr’s 33-year career at General Motors started when she was a co-op student in the Pontiac ...

L.A. investment firm funds BrickellHouse

Canyon Capital Realty Advisors has loaned $27.7-million for the BrickellHouse condominium project.

Apollo Bank of Miami to acquire First Bank of Miami, based in Coral Gables

AIRLINES

Merger official, new American Airlines exits bankruptcy

As American Airlines emerges from bankruptcy, the newly merged air carrier begins a nearly two-year process...

Food entrepreneurs: The next breakout food product is just waiting to be discovered

As they follow their passion, food entrepreneurs find that simply offering tasty, unique products isn’...