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FMU marching band heads to international competition in France

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

Florida Memorial University’s marching band is off to France to take part in an annual International band competition.The ROAR marching band headed to the airport for a flight to Paris, Wednesday afternoon.The FMU marching band team is the first American college to perform at the Festival des Bandafolie’s. It will compete against 10 other schools from around the world.“This is an amazing experience for not only our students, but the university and our South Florida area,” said Richard Beckford, Director for bands at FMU. “It’s amazing because the students worked so hard, and they did it just going to work every single day, doing what they need to do.”Although the university is over 100 years old, the marching band has only been active since 2020, which shows just how dedicated the members are to their craft.

Search for victims called off for after car goes into canal in Opa-locka

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

First responders have called off their search for occupants after a car went into a canal in Opa-locka.Opa-locka Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash in the area of Northwest 22nd Court and Burlington Street, just after 10 p.m., Wednesday.7News cameras captured first responders near the canal. They were using using buoys and high-tech equipment to aid them in their search effortsWitnesses told 7News rescue divers were not able able to pull any occupants who were in the car from the water.It remains unclear how many people were inside the vehicle when it went into the water.https://twitter.com/fox_sheldon/status/1679328330934370306?s=20Shortly before 11 p.m., MDFR officials said, divers did not find anyone so they have called off their search.The car remains submerged in the canal.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Hit-and-run on Palmetto Expressway in SW Miami-Dade leads to NB closures near Bird Road

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

Authorities are investigating a hit-and-run crash along the Palmetto Expressway that has led to multiple lane closures.Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash along the northbound lanes, just south of Bird Road, just after 9:45 p.m., Wednesday.It’s possible that the SUV involved in the wreck rolled over as a result of the impact, but investigators have not confirmed whether or not this was the case.It remains unclear whether or not anyone was injured.Several northbound lanes remained shut down as of 11 p.m. Officials urge drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

EU’s energy sovereignty is built on a robust internal market

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

Leonhard Birnbaum, via EurelectricThe energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the weaponization of energy have put European values and unity to the test like rarely before. Faced with soaring gas and electricity prices last year, EU policymakers decided to initiate a reform of the internal market for electricity. It is a genuine political dilemma. A major reform of the market had just been completed and further intervention could affect investor confidence and slow EU pathway to energy sovereignty. At the same time, a prolonged situation with historically high price levels would be untenable.Energy has always been the lifeblood of the European project. The European Coal and Steel Community was founded on the belief that shared energy resources would make conflict between member countries “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible”. When closed national systems were opened to competition, European consumers started reaping the benefits of growing innovatio...

Vestager faces blowback over selecting US professor for key competition post

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

BRUSSELS — A number of European Commission officials complained they were caught by surprise when antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager named a U.S. professor as an adviser to its competition department, a senior Commission official told POLITICO.Appointing a United States citizen to a powerful European Union job to oversee U.S. Big Tech firms is “super questionable,” the senior official said, adding there was “no discussion internally” on the appointment before it was announced Tuesday. The senior official was granted anonymity to speak freely about internal decision-making. Fiona Scott Morton’s name merely appeared as new chief economist for the Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition on a list of internal job moves circulated at a meeting of the heads of commissioners’ cabinets before the commissioners met in Strasbourg — their last full meeting before the summer break, according to the senior official.In counterpoint, ano...

Rancho Bernardo Shell gas station reports 7,300 gallons of diesel fuel stolen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police are investigating thousands of gallons of stolen diesel fuel from the Shell gas station in Rancho Bernardo. The station owner said they are out tens of thousands of dollars.  “What can you say to that, I’m at a loss for words,” said Ash Keshavarz, the Rancho Bernardo Shell owner. The Rancho Bernardo Shell, a family business since 2006, is halting their diesel fuel sales. Keshavarz said a group of people stole thousands of gallons of diesel fuel worth tens of thousands of dollars. “It made me very angry. It’s a horrible feeling to have someone steal from you,” Keshavarz said. On July 8, Keshavarz noticed they had low diesel fuel numbers. Keshavarz added their diesel inventory from July 1 to the four deliveries between the 1st through the 10th. Keshavarz then subtracted their sales for the ten days, then subtracted their inventory from July 10. “So that equals 7,368 gallons that are unaccounted for. You multiply that by the retail valu...

San Diego man arrested in attempted child porn case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego man was arrested last week on suspicion of contacting minors in an attempt to engage in sexual activities, then re-arrested days later, authorities said.Eric Jacob Layton was first arrested Thursday at 6400 Panel Court in the University City area before he was booked into San Diego County Jail and held on $275,000 bail, according to an FBI San Diego news release. The following day, Layton was released on bond with a hearing set for Monday.Three days after he was released, the FBI arrested Layton near his home on federal charges out of the Southern District of Florida on attempted production of child pornography charges, the FBI said. Layton was taken into federal custody awaiting extradition to Florida. Woman scalped with sword at park Layton is suspected of targeting minors in youth sports on many occasions, the release stated."He initiated contact as a doctor, sports reporter, massage therapist, and youth sports modeling agent to establish a relationship...

Two hospitalized, buildings damaged in Kyiv by Russian drone strike overnight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces unleashed a barrage of self-exploding Iranian-made Shahed drones early Thursday morning, according to the Kyiv City Administration. Nearly ten drones were identified and shot down, the municipal authorities wrote on Telegram. Explosions were heard in different parts of the city, and debris from intercepted drones fell on five districts of the Ukrainian capital. Some buildings were damaged, and two people hospitalized with shrapnel wounds.The Associated Press

El Nino is threatening rice crops while grain supplies already are squeezed by the war in Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Warmer, drier weather because of an earlier than usual El Nino is expected to hamper rice production across Asia, hitting global food security in a world still reeling from the impacts of the war in Ukraine.An El Nino is a natural, temporary and occasional warming of part of the Pacific that shifts global weather patterns, and climate change is making them stronger. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced this one in June, a month or two earlier than it usually does. This gives it time to grow. Scientists say there’s a one in four chance it will expand to supersized levels.That’s bad news for rice farmers, particularly in Asia where 90% of the world’s rice is grown and eaten, since a strong El Nino typically means less rainfall for the thirsty crop.Past El Ninos have resulted in extreme weather, ranging from drought to floods.There are already “alarm bells,” said Abdullah Mamun, a research analyst at the International Food Policy Re...

High times in Thailand: New weed laws draw tourists from across Asia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:28:57 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A Japanese tourist reaches into a baggie of cannabis he’s just bought in a central Bangkok weed shop, pulling out a gram of buds to chop down in a small black grinder, before rolling them neatly into a joint.Only the slight spillage onto the smoking lounge’s table — and his cough as he lights up and inhales deeply — betray the fact that until two weeks ago, he’d never tried marijuana.Most Asian nations have strict drug laws with harsh penalties, and Thailand’s de facto legalization of marijuana last year has brought a wave of tourists from the region like the visitor from Japan, intrigued by the lure of the forbidden leaf.“I was curious about how I would feel after smoking,” said the 42-year-old tourist who spoke on condition that his name not be used, for fear his experimentation in Bangkok could lead to legal issues at home.“I wonder why Japan bans it?” he pondered. “I wanted to try it.”Even as more countries around the world legalize marijuana, Thailand...