Miami-Dade fugitive shot dead in Texas

The manhunt for escaped convict Alberto Morales ended early Saturday in a hail of gunfire as the fugitive was cornered by police and shot and killed in a small town in Texas.Authorities said Morales, who had somehow slipped out of his handcuffs since escaping police Monday, lunged at the officers with wooden sticks, according to Texas authorities.Morales, 41, had been on...

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Hugh Grant is a Dad Again

Hugh Grant confirmed Saturday that he is a dad again.PICS: Celebs and Their Cute KidsThe 52-year-old British actor tweeted, "In answer to some journos. Am thrilled my daughter now has a brother. Adore them both to an uncool degree. They have a fab mum."Hugh and actress Tinglan Hong welcomed a daughter named Tabitha in 2011. No word yet on what Tabitha's little brother is named.Related: Hugh Grant...

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Playgrounds to honor Newtown massacre victims being built in communities recovering from Hurricane Sandy

TRENTON, NJ — The state's largest firefighter union is remembering the 26 victims of December's Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre in Connecticut by building a playground to honor each one in a community recovering from Superstorm Sandy.New Jersey and New York will get 10 playgrounds each, and Connecticut will get six. Each playground will link...

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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...

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Grassroots Festival brings cultural diversity to Virginia Key

At the Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance, don’t ask where you can find the VIP tent. This isn’t Art Basel.Rather, Grassroots, a four-day festival starting Thursday at Virginia Key Beach Park, is designed to showcase musical and cultural diversity. The second annual event presents an array of reggae and world music bands, including Rusted Root, Suenalo, MC Yogi, Donna...

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Katy Perry Engaged to John Mayer?

Katy Perry has sparked rumors that she'll be walking down the aisle once again after stepping out on Valentine's Day with beau John Mayer wearing a new sparkler on her wedding ring finger.Though the 28-year-old pop star's rep had "no comment" for ET on an engagement, Perry and Mayer were all smiles as they left Vicenti restaurant in Brentwood, Calif. on Feb. 14, Perry wearing a red-stoned ring.RELATED:...

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NJ Sen. Lautenberg says he's 'not announcing a retirement,' but won't seek sixth term

PATERSON, NJ — A day after announcing he would not seek a sixth term, Democratic US Sen. Frank Lautenberg said he will spend his last two years in office fighting for the same causes he always has, including tougher gun control laws."I am not announcing a retirement," Lautenberg said in a speech in his hometown of Paterson. "I am announcing today I will...

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In Key West, women earn more than men

Key West is one of just four cities in the United States where the median income for women exceeds that of men, according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.The American Community Survey, which goes beyond population figures and analyzes comparative social, economic and educational data, found that nationwide, men older than 16 working full-time and year-round...

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Crime Watch: Steer clear of these latest email scams

Today I want to share with you some interesting scam emails shared by readers. We truly need to be super-careful and not open or respond to any of them.I personally got the one from Kabul and had to laugh because this was a new one for me. I am not showing the email address, but trust me it looked very official especially when I do have friends that are stationed in Kabul....

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The Notebook Junket with Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams

Can you imagine a more romantic movie to watch on Valentine's Day than The Notebook? Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams play a young and tempestuous pairing of James Garner and Gena Rowlands in the bittersweet, enduring drama that has grown to be modern classic, and ET was with the young stars back in 2004 as they talked about their auditions – and real love in Ryan's life!Pics: Star Sightings Following...

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Baldwin 'stalker' rejects no-jail plea deal in harassment case

The perky French Canadian model accused of stalking Alec Baldwin is saying "Non!" -- for now -- to the Manhattan DA's no-jail offer, insisting she will not jump through all of the prosecutorial "hoops" being required of her."There are some hoops that they want my client to jump through, that we're trying to resolve," the defense lawyer for pretty, blonde...

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American Airlines, US Airways announce merger

After a nearly yearlong courtship, the union became official Thursday: American Airlines and US Airways have formally announced plans to merge.An early morning announcement by the airlines confirmed reports widely circulated after boards of both companies approved the merger late Wednesday.The move brings stability to one of Miami-Dade County’s largest private employers more...

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Mystery shrouds failure of Internet video link between Pakistani hotel, Miami terrorism trial

The mystery of who pulled the plug on the Internet connection linking witnesses testifying in Pakistan to a Miami terrorism trial remained unsolved Wednesday, stalling the high-profile proceeding until next Tuesday as the defense scrambles for an alternate solution.A defense attorney for Miami imam Hafiz Khan, standing trial on charges of financially supporting the Pakistani...

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Making the Wonderful World of 'Oz the Great and Powerful'

Oz The Great and Powerful lands in theaters on March 8, and director Sam Raimi's epic, magical return to L. Frank Baum's beloved fantasy land features a dazzling cornucopia of costumes, set creations and makeup effects unlike anything moviegoers have seen before. Go behind the scenes to see how the filmmakers put it all together…Pics: Stars without Makeup Disney's fantastical adventure stars James...

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Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson's love letters to be released on Valentine's Day

AUSTIN, Texas — The entire collection of nearly 100 love letters written between Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson during their 2½-month courtship in 1934 is being made available to the public for the first time beginning on Valentine's Day.The letters at the LBJ Presidential Library at the University of Texas show an impatient Johnson, then a 26-year-old congressional aide, eager to marry 21-year-old...

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Carnival Triumph out of commission through mid-April due to fire

As tugs continue to pull the fire-disabled Carnival Triumph to land, Carnival Cruise Lines said it has canceled another 12 sailings aboard the stricken vessel.Tuesday night, the company’s president and CEO, Gerry Cahill, said only the Feb. 11 and Feb. 16 Caribbean voyages had been axed. But Wednesday afternoon, the Miami-based cruise operator said the Feb. 21 through April...

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Chinese New Year rings in at St. Thomas University

A Chinese Lunar New Year celebration was held at St. Thomas University on Sunday, Feb. 10, in Miami Gardens. The free event was open to the public and also featured an ancestral-veneration ceremony, lion dances and a reception. ...

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Faith Hill Becomes a Brace Face

Faith Hill has been rocking a new accessory that garnered lots of attention when she hit the Grammy Awards red carpet on Sunday. The country crooner stepped out wearing clear braces, which led us to ask: What was wrong with her teeth in the first place?Never mentioning that she's been wearing veneers for decades, Hill, 45, explained the mouth metal to radio station KNIX at the Country Music Awards,...

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Mom tells Dr. Phil son saw shooting of standoff suspect in bunker

MIDLAND CITY, Ala. — The mother of an Alabama boy held hostage in an underground bunker for days says her son witnessed officers fatally shoot his kidnapper.Jennifer Kirkland's comments about her son, Ethan, came in an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw for the "Dr. Phil Show." It's set to be aired Wednesday; a clip already is posted online.Kirkland says her son saw officers shoot the gunman identified...

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U.S. Century to OK details of new deal

U.S. Century Bank is expected to sign off on Monday on its letter of intent — the framework for a plan to recapitalize the bank.Under the deal, a local group of investors, led by Jimmy Tate of Tate Capital and Sergio Rok of Rok Enterprises, will bring in fresh capital and wipe out the Doral bank’s bad loans, while allowing it to operate independently.The investor group is...

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Carnival ship fire quickly extinguished as ship wallows in Gulf awaiting tug

The Carnival Triumph, a Galveston, Texas-based passenger cruise ship with the theme “Great Cities Around the World,” might have been better off sitting at port, as a court initially ordered. As of Monday morning the 14-year old ship was going nowhere, operating on emergency generator power after a fire Sunday in one of the diesel generators killed its propulsion. The fire...

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The Backstreet Boys Get Their Own Documentary

Who doesn't want to know the inside story of one of the biggest boy bands in pop culture history?It's just been confirmed that director Stephen Kijak -- who directed documentaries Stones In Exile and Scott Walker -- is directing a film about the Backstreet Boys' journey from child stars to global sensations, which is being billed as a "tell-all project about all five original members of the band."Video:...

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'Spidey' claims self-defense after allegedly hitting woman in Times Square

A Times Square Spider-Man claimed he was acting in self-defense when he slugged a woman who refused to tip him him yesterday.Philip Williams, 35-year-old Williamsburg resident, was released without having to post bail this morning after he was charged with assault and harassment. Williams had posed for pictures with the 44-year-old woman's kids but didn't...

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Green cards for sale at a South Beach hotel: Competition is on for EB5 investment visas

If David Hart gets his way, South Beach’s 42-room Astor Hotel will be on a hiring spree this year as it adds concierge service, a roof-top pool, an all-night diner, spa and private-car service available 24 hours a day. New hires will be crucial to Hart’s business plan, since foreign investors have agreed to pay about $50,000 for each job created by the Art Deco boutique....

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Two Fantasy 5 tickets sold in Broward take $92,069 jackpot

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Three tickets, two purchased in Broward County, matched all five Fantasy 5 numbers to collect a jackpot worth $92,069.38 each, the Florida Lottery said Sunday. The winning tickets were bought in Plantation and Tamarac and in Homosassa, lottery officials said. The numbers drawn Saturday night were 1-3-16-18-25 The 463 tickets matching...

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Chris Brown Car Collision

ET has learned that Chris Brown was involved in a solo, non-injury traffic collision in Beverly Hills at noon today, blaming the paparazzi for losing control of his Porsche and colliding with a wall. Pics: Remembering Whitney Houston A statement from Lieutenant Lincoln Hoshino of the Beverly Hills police details the incident: "On February 9, 2013 at approximately 12:03 p.m., entertainer Chris Brown...

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Man slips off platform, hit by NJ Transit train

RED BANK, NJ — New Jersey Transit says a man suffered a broken leg when he slipped off a train station platform and was struck by a train.The accident occurred around 6:15 a.m. Sunday in Red Bank.NJ Transit spokesman John D'Urso Jr. says the man apparently slipped and fell on to the tracks. He was soon hit by North Jersey Coast Line train No. 7208.No passengers...

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Mega mansion frenzy: Buyer snaps up Pat Riley’s $16M home to level it, rebuild

Miami Heat President Pat Riley sold his spectacular bayfront mansion in gated Gables Estates for $16.8 million last March.The 12,856-square-foot Mediterranean-style dream house at 180 Arvida Parkway has a theater, wine cellar, library, and a sprawling pool with waterfalls and an aqua bar.But that’s all coming down. Turns out the lure was the lot: a rare...

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