The Key West city staff is expected Thursday to present the city's...

The Key West city staff is expected Thursday to present the city's proposed property tax rate -- a higher r...

PEMBROKE PINES

Pembroke Pines City Center still on the drawing board

After six years, Pembroke Pines still has 115 acres of land ready to be developed into a faux downtown -- a...

HEALTH

Swine flu claims sixth Miami-Dade victim

A 53-year-old woman has become the sixth person to die of swine flu in Miami-Dade County, the health depart...

PLANTATION

Plantation man gets prison term for posing as marshal

A Plantation man who pleaded guilty to impersonating a deputy U.S. marshal was sentenced on Tuesday to 3 &f...

EVERGLADES

Everglades land may be offered as collateral in U.S. Sugar deal

South Florida water managers may offer Wall Street more than a quarter-million acres of state-owned lands, ...

CRIME

Man shot to death at North Miami-Dade car dealership

A man was shot and killed Tuesday at a used car dealership in North Miami-Dade. A distraught 911 caller sai...

SUNRISE

Jury recommends death penalty for Sunrise man

A Broward County jury recommended that a Sunrise man be executed for one of three murders he committed, rej...

MIAMI

Man fatally shot by Miami cop had previous trouble with law

Miami police say they recovered a knife at the scene of an officer-involved shooting. A 27-year-old man was...

HENDRY COUNTY

Woman pulled from canal by Hollywood football players dies

The woman pulled Sunday from an overturned sport utility vehicle by members of the Hollywood Hills football...

FLORIDA PANHANDLE

Robbery called motive in Florida Panhandle murders

Seven people now have been arrested in the murder of a Pensacola-area couple. Police said they believe robb...

TALLAHASSEE

For Florida lawmakers, there's no travel ban

The state has cut out-of-state travel for employees -- but state legislators are still going to conferences...

U.S. SUPREME COURT

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor grilled by Republicans

High court nominee Sonia Sotomayor stayed calm as she faced questions from Republicans, many about her 'wis...

U.S. & CUBA

U.S.-Cuba talks end; more likely

Cuba and the U.S. delegates discussed immigration issues for the first time in six years and all but set a ...

PENTAGON SPENDING

Showdown brewing over F-22 jet fighter

Sen. John McCain is siding with the Obama administration -- and against a key Republican and military leade...

Strip searches sparked June Guantánamo sit-in

For two weeks in June, two dozen war-on-terror captives staged a sit-in at an exercise yard in a maximum-se...

NAACP

NAACP uses technology to fight racism

The NAACP launched a new system that lets people report police misconduct by video, text and e-mail.

SOUTH FLORIDA

Ben Novack Jr., son of Fontainebleau founder, slain in NY

MASSACHUSETTS

Zoos' funds restored following furor

(AP) -- Massachusetts lawmakers said Monday they would try to restore $4 million in state funds for two loc...

WASHINGTON

Sonia Sotomayor: I will apply law, not make it

In her testimony before a Senate committee, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor addressed some of the que...

SOTOMAYOR CONFIRMATION

Smooth path to Supreme Court expected for Sonia Sotomayor

While partisan politics will no doubt play a role in the hearings on Sonia Sotomayor's fitness for the Supr...

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Recession, regulations slow wind power projects

Lack of financing and an untested federal approval process are delaying wind power projects.

CENTRAL FLORIDA

After brief fame, Bubbles the chimp finds refuge

PAKISTAN

Those displaced from Pakistan's Swat Valley trek home

Government officials in Pakistan are letting refugees return home, but there are fears for their safety.

IRAQ

4 killed as car bomb explodes near Iraq church

After attacks on Iraq's Christian communities, a bomb exploded near a convoy carrying the U.S. ambassador t...

HONDURAS

Honduran teen's slaying propels youth movement

Rallies and marches supporting and opposing deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya have engaged the youth...

CHINA

Chinese ethnic groups struggling to overcome

(AP) -- Incense was lit and paper money burned at the funeral Sunday for a Han Chinese family -- a man, his...

LITHUANIA

Amid economic woes, Lithuania swears in its first female leader

Dalia Grybauskaite, 53, a former finance minister and European Union budget commissioner, must now deal wit...

AFGHANISTAN

Deadly weekend for American, British troops

Two Marines were killed by a bomb amid a U.S.-led offensive in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Eight Briton...

WORLD ECONOMY

Muhammad Yunus: Economic crisis can bring social change

(AP) -- The global economic crisis can be an opportunity for positive social change, Nobel Peace Prize winn...

ISRAEL

Israeli police, ultra-Orthodox Jews clash over Sabbath parking lot opening

Israeli police and ultra-Orthodox Jews scuffle over the opening of a parking lot on the Sabbath.

AFGHANISTAN

Pentagon 'terrorist suspect' talking to Karzai

Once a Guantanamo Bay inmate, Haji Rohullah Wakil now operates openly with Afghan government officials.

CENTRAL AMERICA | DIPLOMACY

Honduras crisis mediator is at home as peacemaker

Costa Rica's president is bringing persistence, a Nobel Peace Prize and a passion for demilitarization to t...

BRITAIN

British prime minister defends Afghan mission

Despite recent casualties, Britain is close to achieving its goals in Afghanistan, says Prime Minister Gord...

U.S. & CUBA

U.S.-Cuba talks end; more likely

Cuba and the U.S. delegates discussed immigration issues for the first time in six years and all but set a ...

THE WASHINGTON POST

An American in Honduras -- Rich man, poor plan

Allen Andersson made a bundle, then made things happen -- for a while -- in Honduras

HONDURAS

Talks on Honduran crisis to resume

Toppled Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was urged to be patient as negotiators get ready to try again to r...

CUBAN JEWS

West Palm Jews visit to aid brethren in Cuba

Cuba's Jewish community is small in numbers, but South Florida Jews are trying to help sustain the religion...

THE WASHINGTON POST

Outlaws in the U.S., strangers at home

U.S. economic downturn strands illegal Latino immigrants between cultures

More women migrating to U.S.

More and more women -- many of them from Latin America -- are migrating to the United States, marking a dep...

Honduras names foreign affairs minister

Honduran Interim President Roberto Micheletti continued to shore up his cabinet Monday, swearing in the nat...

THE WASHINGTON POST

Iran's invisible Nicaragua embassy

For months, the reports percolated in Washington and other capitals. Iran was constructing a major beachhea...

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Tensions linger between Colombia and Ecuador

Ecuador today will begin imposing stiff tariffs on hundreds of Colombian imports, the latest round in a fes...

Honduras lifts curfew 2 weeks after military coup

Hondurans enjoyed their first night of unfettered freedom in two weeks after the interim government lifted ...

Venezuelan reporters detained in Honduras

Venezuelan reporters -- seen as generating favorable coverage of Honduras' ousted president Manuel Zelaya -...

DRIVING

Florida's worst drivers will have to retake driving test

Rack up three crash-related tickets in three years and you'll be back behind the wheel -- for a driving tes...

PUBLIC MONEY

Audit: Top Florida officials spent $51K on plane commutes

In never-released findings, auditors concluded that top state officials spent thousands commuting to their ...

Investigator issues report on Sansom dealings

The special investigator hired by the Florida House of Representatives to investigate Rep. Ray Sansom's dea...

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ALEX SINK

Alex Sink orders her office to review her state-plane use

As questions continue about state-plane use by Cabinet officials, Alex Sink orders an internal review of he...

LEGISLATURE

Florida House panel to review Sansom case

Former House Speaker Ray Sansom faces possible sanctions after an investigator says he may have damaged con...

FLORIDA

Florida governor candidates defend use of state planes

Travel records show how Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum use st...

RAY SANSOM CASE

Document could be the key in Sansom case

Some seemingly cryptic information on a document could be crucial in the prosecution of Ray Sansom, former ...

RAY SANSOM CASE

U.S. takes up investigation of former Florida House speaker

Investigations into the dealings of former House Speaker Ray Sansom continue, despite his indictment.

STATE SENATE

Gov. Charlie Crist's veto was payback for lack of support, state Sen. Steve Oelrich says

A senator suspects Crist's veto of his student transportation bill was a form of retaliation.

GAMBLING

Seminoles balk at Florida's new casino legislation

The gambling legislation awaiting Gov. Charlie Crist's signature isn't likely to win the Seminole Tribe's c...

FLORIDA PRISONS

Florida Legislature gives OK to ship inmates out of state

Sending criminals to out-of-state prisons is a 'safety valve' for Florida's overpopulated prisons.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Obama pledges $12B for community colleges

The White House wants to spend billions to improve the nation's community colleges, a historic investment i...

ON THE WEB

Website provides virtual college tours

For high school students who have the time and money to travel, visiting college campuses is the best way t...

EDUCATION

Florida high schools to be graded on more than just FCAT

High schools statewide are getting ready to be graded with a new formula -- after faring poorly on the old ...

BROWARD SCHOOLS

Construction officials: Broward school repairs audit wrong

Contractors making repairs after Hurricane Wilma did not overcharge the school district, officials said.

PINECREST

Gulliver Prep students show their smarts -- and compassion

BROWARD SCHOOLS

Broward offers to rehire some laid-off teachers

Nearly a quarter of the Broward teachers who were laid off last month have received notice that they will h...

SOUTH MIAMI-DADE

Dade learning centers for migrant children to reopen

Two educational centers for migrant children in South Miami-Dade will reopen Monday, school district offici...

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Many students, not enough room at South Florida community colleges

Demand is soaring at Miami-Dade and Broward community colleges, but the cash-strapped schools can't add eno...

NORTH MIAMI HIGH | UNICEF'S JUNIOR 8 SUMMIT

Teens to get leaders' ears at global summit in Italy

Four North Miami teens will represent the United States in a global meeting to discuss world problems such ...

BROWARD SCHOOLS

Some laid-off teachers to be rehired

Some laid-off Broward teachers can expect job offers from the school district this week, mere days after lo...

HIGHER EDUCATION

Florida Atlantic University professors challenge layoffs

Four tenured FAU faculty members are fighting their layoffs, saying their union contract does not allow that.

In search of salmon in the Soo on a trip on the St. Marys River with a well-known guide

Where else would you land three Atlantic salmon in 4 hours on a July day that felt like late October and co...

Color this recreational vehicle green

When Brian Brawdy goes camping in his recreational vehicle, he doesn't have to search for an electrical out...

Alien species insects, hogs, even rainbow trout threaten natives in Smokies

Like an island, the leafy wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park lie anchored in a sea of tourist kit...

Free Food (Inc.)

A fast-food restaurant that wants you to see Food, Inc.? Can it be true? Yep - and they'll even pay for you...

Camp green

Although I haven't done it for a few years, I love camping. (As in tent camping. Not bringing along a whole...

Earth-friendly stories for kids

Green is more than a color these days.

Time to jam

Finally! It's jam time at my house. There's something about making jam that I just love. I think it's the w...

EarthTalk: Do home fertilizers harm nearby bodies of water?

Dear EarthTalk: What effects do fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides used on residential lawns or on farm...

Obama calls Americans to community gardening

The Obama administration's United We Serve campaign runs through Sept. 11, a day President Obama refers to ...

Ban pythons: The snake poses a threat to humans as well as other animals

The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Friday, July 10:

A guide to safe, effective sunscreens

Does your SPF 15 lip balm actually protect your lips from sunburn? That's info you can now find out thanks ...

Sotomayor defies easy labeling

Sonia Sotomayor is a groundbreaking nominee for the Supreme Court who defies easy pigeonholing. She's a tou...

HEALTHCARE REFORM

Obama vow of public debate on healthcare fading

During his campaign for presidency, Barack Obama promised change and openness but, so far, many of the bigg...

Supreme Court message: No more quotas

In striking another blow against the use of racial quotas, the Supreme Court challenged the nation's first ...

MIAMI HERALD OMBUDSMAN

Legal analysis lacking in coup coverage

Parachuting into a foreign crisis can be journalistically treacherous, not least because, out of ignorance,...

States rethink cash given to film industry

There's a nationwide debate over the value of state subsidies to filmmakers, but the math tells only part o...

TO OUR READERS

Finding a balance to commenting on our website

José Villamil of Miami is one of a number of readers asking about reader comments posted under artic...

Helping the hemisphere's poorest

Charitable organizations and committed activists, many from the United States, have been far more effective...

TECHNOLOGY

Kiosk offers high-tech way to visit mom in jail

A Miami company has invented an ATM-like device that lets loved-ones virtually visit the incarcerated. Flor...

Jon, Kate -- and care that's not so great

True, the price of health care reform is high, but had we had it before we might have been spared the Jon a...

THE NATION

Here comes a backlash against `big government'

Unlike the New Deal, today's expansion of government is more evolutionary than revolutionary. In part becau...

Looking back at the warning signs of financial disaster

One of the pivotal questions from the recent financial swindles, including the mammoth case that led to Ber...

Man arrested after refusing to lower his music

A 27-year-old man was arrested and booked with disturbing the peace and resisting an officer after he refus...

PETA suggests nondairy Michael Jackson sculpture

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have come up with an idea for sculptor Sarah Pratt and the Iowa...

NH man charged 23 quadrillion dollars for smokes

A New Hampshire man says he swiped his debit card at a gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes and was char...

Police: Man impersonates priest, visits officer

A 26-year-old Philadelphia man suspected of impersonating a priest while visiting a wounded police officer ...

Lawmaker: Michigan map isn't complete without U.P.

There's more to Michigan than the mitten.

Mo. jail to host 'bed and breakfast' event

Want to spend a night in jail? And how about paying for the privilege? The Jefferson County Sheriff's Depar...

Man caught in the buff at N. Indiana cemetery

A 51-year-old man told a police officer he was naked in a northern Indiana cemetery because he had taken of...

Fired worker accused of trashing fast food eatery

Gainesville police are seeking an employee who tore up the fast-food restaurant, damaging cash registers an...

Aging building's stench has state workers reeling

For some state employees, going to work really stinks. Aging sewer pipes are being blamed for a rotten smel...

Parents' late-night fast-food run goes to pot

Police have arrested a couple allegedly caught smoking marijuana while waiting in the drive-through line at...

Man arrested with panties hanging from pants

A man has been charged with public intoxication after authorities said he was walking along Highway 11 with...