Miami police sergeant takes stand, denies accusations in federal corruption trial

A Miami police sergeant who headed a drug-fighting squad testified in his federal corruption trial Monday, denying ever planting drugs on a suspect or stealing drugs and money from dope dealers.

Sgt. Raul Iglesias, 40, accused of being a dirty cop, also denied ever asking detectives in his unit for “throw-down dope’’ to plant on the suspect in a downtown Miami parking lot in early 2010.

“Absolutely not,’’ Iglesias testified, disputing the recent testimony of two detectives who accused him of asking them for throw-down drugs. “That’s a ridiculous statement.’’

Iglesias further testified that he never told a third detective that it was OK to pay confidential informants with drugs. That detective testified that he did that once in 2010, with Iglesias sitting by his side in an unmarked police vehicle, but Iglesias denied that the confidential informant was paid with a small amount of cocaine.

“I have no knowledge that he ever paid [the informant] with drugs,’’ Iglesias testified during direct examination as the first defense witness. The government rested its case on Friday.

Iglesias, who is scheduled to continue testifying, faces nine counts of conspiracy to possess cocaine, violating suspects’ civil rights, obstruction of justice and making false statements. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Facebook shares rise in buildup to mystery event, earnings

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Facebook Inc’s stock opened on Monday above $ 32 for the first time since July as anticipation about upcoming products and financial results underscored Wall Street’s renewed confidence in the online social network.

Facebook will on Tuesday host its first major press event at its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, since its troubled initial public offering in May, triggering a guessing game among technology observers and online blogs about what it could unveil – everything from a smartphone to a search engine.

“There’s a lot of speculation. Nothing to me seems to be that certain,” Jefferies & Co analyst Brian Pitz said.

“If I were to bet, I’d think it was something that was ad-platform related. I’m not convinced on the phone,” said Pitz, citing previous comments by Facebook’s leaders including CEO Mark Zuckerberg that making a smartphone would be the “wrong strategy” for Facebook.

In an email to reporters last week, Facebook invited the media to “come and see what we’re building” without providing details.

Some analysts said the stock’s recent gains – shares are up roughly 17 percent since the start of the year – may have more to do with the company’s upcoming fourth-quarter financial results, slated for January 30.

“The stock is up because they have driven a dramatic increase in the ad load of their mobile app which is giving investors hope that they exceeded expectations,” BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield said.

Shares were down about 1.3 percent to $ 31.30 in mid-afternoon trading.

The world’s No.1 social network with 1 billion users, Facebook became the first U.S. company to debut on stock markets with a value of more than $ 100 billion. Its value subsequently plunged by more than 50 percent on mounting concerns about slowing revenue growth and the challenges of making money as users shift from personal computers to mobile devices.

Facebook surprised Wall Street in the third quarter by announcing that mobile ads accounted for 14 percent of its total ad revenue. Some analysts expect the company to report further growth in its nascent mobile ad business for the fourth quarter.

Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook in his Harvard dorm room, has said that mobile is the “most misunderstood aspect” of Facebook. But he has repeatedly poured cold water on rumors that Facebook would build its own smartphone to compete against Apple Inc’s iPhone and smartphones based on Google Inc’s Android operating system.

During an on-stage interview at a conference in September, Zuckerberg said that he believed search could be a ripe area of growth for Facebook.

“Facebook is really uniquely positioned to answer a lot of the questions that people have,” Zuckerberg said, such as finding a good restaurant or learning more about a job opportunity.

Still, many technology observers believe that Facebook is more likely to improve the search capabilities within Facebook than to develop a full-fledged search engine that indexes all the Web’s content and competes head-on with search leader Google.

Among the other items that technology blogs and analysts speculate might be unveiled on Tuesday were new standalone apps for Apple’s iPad tablet, new features to display video ads and even a new wing of corporate headquarters.

Some cautioned that expectations of a game-changing new product were likely to cause disappointment.

“There’s no way they’re announcing anything that has financial impact, or they wouldn’t do it now, they’d wait two weeks,” said Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, citing Facebook’s upcoming earnings.

“Why would you announce something that has a financial impact during the quiet period?,” he said.

(Reporting By Alexei Oreskovic; Editing by Paul Simao)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Torrey DeVitto PETA Ad Exclusive

Thanks to her roles on The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars, Torrey DeVitto's popularity with the high school sect has exploded in recent years, and alongside PETA, she's using that power to send a major message to education institutions across the country!

VIDEO - Pretty Little Liars Preview

Every year more than 10 million animals are dissected in secondary-school and college science classes, and DeVitto is taking a stand against animal dissection.

In the Robert Sebree-shot ad, exclusively obtained by ETonline, DeVitto cradles a kitten and says, "You Wouldn't Dissect Her, So Don't Dissect Anyone!"

In an interview with PETA, DeVitto explains how she let fear of disappointing her teachers push her into dissecting when she was in school -- and how she still regrets it. "I didn't think I had an option," she says. "Kids need to know they have the option -- they don't need to be subjected to this. You can do virtual dissection, which gives them just as much information as dissecting a real cat or frog."

Check out ETonline's exclusive video from DeVitto's PETA shoot, and click here to see a full-size version of her ad!

For more information, head to PETA.org.

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Peacenik Russel Simmons wants unarmed mediators in schools

Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons called for funding for unarmed peacekeepers in schools during a press conference on City Hall's steps today saying, "when underserved communities are at risk, you're all at risk."

The hip hop mogul joined NYC Council members Leroy Comrie, Ruben Wills, Jumaane Williams and Terrie Williams along with NYC nonprofit Life Camp founder Erica Ford to draw attention to gun violence in the black community where he says the issue is being ignored.

"No matter how much we scream it seems that our calls aren't answered," Simmons said.

WireImage

Russell Simmons speaking at City Hall.

"The recent Sandy Hook incident put gun violence in the forefront but there's a Sandy Hook every weekend in Chicago."

Citing a bloody weekend in Chicago when 56 young people were shot, Simmons argued that the story was dismissed because it happened in a minority community.

"The Sandy Hook incident and other incidents like it are important and have brought this discussion to the forefront, but still it seems that these kids are left out."

Simmons asked for funding for nonprofit organizations like Life Camp, Man Up and I Love My Life that promote peace through unarmed patrol officers and offer counseling to emotionally troubled people.

"It's real national problem," Simmons said.

"We have the peacekeepers in 25 cities and they're just getting started but they need funding as well. We have to fund these programs. All of our underserved communities are at risk and that means you're at risk."

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.CO sets sights on changing ‘the fabric of the Internet’

For the millions of people who equate the Web with .com, . CO Internet is out to change that mindset.

The Miami company that manages and markets the .co domain is already making impressive gains — more than 1.4 million in 200 countries have hung their businesses, blogs, personal projects or dreams on a .co virtual shingle. Still, that’s just a tiny fraction of industry titan VeriSign’s 105 million .com registrants.

“We want to change the fabric of the Internet,” Juan Diego Calle, founder and CEO of .CO Internet, said during an interview in .CO’s Brickell office. “We can only make that happen not by changing what happened in the last 25 years of the Web, which is owned by .com. We want to change the next 25.”

About 2½ years after the launch of .CO Internet, .co — the country code of Colombia — continues to be one of the fastest-growing Internet domains in the world and grew by 24 percent in 2012. .CO Internet is profitable and is projecting to bring in more than $25 million in revenues this year, the company said. The early success of .CO Internet, with operations in Miami and Colombia, is powered by passion and perseverance.

Calle moved to Miami from Colombia at age 15 with his family. He started several businesses, including one he sold in 2005 providing seed capital for what would come next. “I can’t say I ever sat still.” When he learned Colombia would be commercializing the country's .co domain extension in late 2006, he said it hit him like a lightning bolt.

With the right strategy and by “marketing the hell out of it,” the entrepreneur believed .co could solve a huge problem in the market — vanishing Internet domain names. If you’ve tried to nab a new .com address lately, you can relate — it’s difficult to find one that hasn’t been snatched up.

Calle thought that by appealing to the hearts and minds of the entrepreneur, .co could go where .info, .biz, .net or .me had never gone before. But first he needed the right team.

One of this first stops: The Big Apple, to visit Nicolai Bezsonoff, who had been an advisor and shareholder in Calle’s TeRespondo.com, a sort of Ask Jeeves for the Latin American market that was sold to Yahoo in 2005. At the time, Bezsonoff was the director of technology and operations at Citigroup.

“We went out for coffee, he started pitching me on a napkin. I said ‘really dude you want me to leave a big job at Citigroup for this?’ ” said Bezsonoff. “But he kept showing me the numbers … Later, that napkin was on my desk and it was one of those boring days and I kept looking at it and thought maybe I should.” He would become .CO’s chief operating officer.

Lori Anne Wardi, a lawyer and serial entrepreneur who was working at a venture capital firm at the time, became vice president in charge of brand strategy, business development and global communications. “She’s the heart and soul of the company,” said Calle. Eduardo Santoyo, based in Bogota, would become corporate vice president over policy and be the liaison with the Colombian government. “Some would say it was overkill talent but I needed the best. ... When you have a big dream, you have to think big and hire the right people,” Calle said.

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Cyclist killed by hit-and-run driver on Ives Dairy Road

State troopers are looking for a driver in a hit-and-run crash that killed a cyclist on Ives Dairy Road in north Miami-Dade County early Sunday.

The cyclist was riding west on Ives Dairy Road near Northeast 13th Court around 3:41 a.m. when the rider was struck and killed by a black Dodge Charger also traveling westbound.

Eyewitnesses to the crash followed the car and obtained a partial license tag number, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Troopers have not yet released the name of the dead cyclist.

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Johnson’s tweet about Trestman landing NFL job creates buzz in football circles

Marc Trestman remains the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes, at least for now.

Former NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson got the football world — north and south of the border — buzzing Friday when he strongly suggested Trestman was heading to Chicago to become the Bears‘ head coach.

“Looks like 2 of my guys getting NFL jobs..Chud Cleveland and my QB coach at U Trestman to Chicago,” tweeted Johnson, now working as an NFL analyst with Fox.

An Alouettes spokesman said the CFL club had no comment about Johnson’s tweet while the Bears didn’t immediately comment publicly either.

Trestman interviewed with both Cleveland and Chicago but according to numerous reports the Bears continue to speak to potential coaching candidates and haven’t decided on a coach. The Browns are expected to unveil Rob Chudzinski as their new head coach Friday.

The Bears missed the NFL playoffs despite posting a 10-6 record and fired Lovie Smith after nine seasons as head coach.

Trestman, 56, has spent the last five seasons with Montreal, guiding the Alouettes to two Grey Cup victories in three appearances.

His coaching resume includes time in the NFL as an offensive co-ordinator, quarterback or running back coach with Minnesota (twice), Cleveland, San Francisco, Detroit, Arizona, Oakland, and Miami.

Trestman also coached in the NCAA with Johnson at Miami as well as North Carolina State.

Trestman is regarded as a quarterback guru and has a background with Chicago starter Jay Cutler and backup Jason Campbell, helping both in their respective pre-draft preparations.

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Miss New York Mallory Hytes Hagan Wins Miss America

Brooklyn, New York native Mallory Hytes Hagan, 23, was crowned this year's Miss America -- beating out Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers and Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton, who placed second and third respectively.

Hagan tap danced to James Brown's Get Up Off That Thing and answered a timely question about armed guards in schools – stating that violence is not the proper way to end violence – to clinch the win Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Related: Miss America Contestant to Have Double Mastectomy

Hagan, whose platform issue is child sexual abuse prevention, attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, and plans to obtain a degree in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing.

Clearly, her newly won $50,000 scholarship will be put to good use!

Related: Miss America Host Gary Collins Dead

Miss Wyoming Lexie Madden and Miss Iowa Mariah Cary also made the top five, before falling short to Hagan, who was considered an underdog heading into the competition.

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'Zero Dark Thirty' tops weekend box office in first weekend as wide release

LOS ANGELES — "Zero Dark Thirty" hunted down the top spot at the box office — and easily won it.

Studio estimates Sunday show the controversial Osama bin Laden manhunt drama nabbed first place with $24 million in its first weekend as a wide release.

"Zero Dark Thirty" debuted nationwide this weekend after opening in a limited run last month. The Sony film earned five Academy Award nominations last week, including best picture, original screenplay and best actress for Jessica Chastain as dogged CIA operative Maya.

Open Road Films' horror parody "A Haunted House" starring Marlon Wayans came in second place with a solid $18.8 million.

AP

Jessica Chastain in a scene from "Zero Dark Thirty."

The Warner Bros. mobster drama "Gangster Squad" starring Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling as off-the-books police officers opened in third place with $16.7 million.

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.CO sets sights on changing ‘the fabric of the Internet’

For the millions of people who equate the Web with .com, . CO Internet is out to change that mindset.

The Miami company that manages and markets the .co domain is already making impressive gains — more than 1.4 million in 200 countries have hung their businesses, blogs, personal projects or dreams on a .co virtual shingle. Still, that’s just a tiny fraction of industry titan VeriSign’s 105 million .com registrants.

“We want to change the fabric of the Internet,” Juan Diego Calle, founder and CEO of .CO Internet, said during an interview in .CO’s Brickell office. “We can only make that happen not by changing what happened in the last 25 years of the Web, which is owned by .com. We want to change the next 25.”

About 2½ years after the launch of .CO Internet, .co — the country code of Colombia — continues to be one of the fastest-growing Internet domains in the world and grew by 24 percent in 2012. .CO Internet is profitable and is projecting to bring in more than $25 million in revenues this year, the company said. The early success of .CO Internet, with operations in Miami and Colombia, is powered by passion and perseverance.

Calle moved to Miami from Colombia at age 15 with his family. He started several businesses, including one he sold in 2005 providing seed capital for what would come next. “I can’t say I ever sat still.” When he learned Colombia would be licensing its .co Internet code in late 2006, he said it hit him like a lightning bolt.

With the right strategy and by “marketing the hell out of it,” the entrepreneur believed .co could solve a huge problem in the market — vanishing Internet domain names. If you’ve tried to nab a new .com address lately, you can relate — it’s difficult to find one that hasn’t been snatched up.

Calle thought that by appealing to the hearts and minds of the entrepreneur, .co could go where .info, .biz, .net or .me had never gone before. But first he needed the right team.

One of this first stops: The Big Apple, to visit Nicolai Bezsonoff, who had been an advisor and shareholder in Calle’s TeRespondo.com, a sort of Ask Jeeves for the Latin American market that was sold to Yahoo in 2005. At the time, Bezsonoff was the director of technology and operations at Citigroup.

“We went out for coffee, he started pitching me on a napkin. I said ‘really dude you want me to leave a big job at Citigroup for this?’ ” said Bezsonoff. “But he kept showing me the numbers … Later, that napkin was on my desk and it was one of those boring days and I kept looking at it and thought maybe I should.” He would become .CO’s chief operating officer.

Lori Anne Wardi, a lawyer and serial entrepreneur who was working at a venture capital firm at the time, became vice president in charge of brand strategy, business development and global communications. “She’s the heart and soul of the company,” said Calle. Eduardo Santoyo, based in Bogota, would become corporate vice president over policy and be the iaison with the Colombian government. “Some would say it was overkill talent but I needed the best. ... When you have a big dream, you have to think big and hire the right people,” Calle said.

Read More..