Miami-Dade Police: One dead, one wounded in Friday night shooting

Miami-Dade homicide detectives are investigating a Friday night shooting that killed one man and sent another to a hospital.

The shooting started about 8:11 p.m. in the area of 17th Avenue and Northwest 92nd Street in West Little River, according to police. People began arguing and then fighting, and then “several shots were fired,” according to a police statement.

One victim, a 22-year-old man, was killed at the scene of the shooting. A second, 40-year-old man was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where police said he is listed in critical condition. Neither man has been identified.

Police are searching for the shooter.

Anyone with information should call Miami Dade CrimeStoppers at 305-471-8477.

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Larry Hagman Dies

Larry Hagman, best known for playing Dallas villain J.R. Ewing, died Friday morning from complications stemming from his recent battle with cancer.

He was 81 years old.

Video: Larry Hagman Talks 'Dallas', Cancer and Veganism

"Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," his family said in a statement via The Dallas Morning News. "When he passed, he was surrounded by loved ones. It was a peaceful passing, just as he had wished for. The family requests privacy at this time."

Hagman's rep says the late actor will be cremated.

His Dallas co-stars Linda Gray (who played his wife Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (who played his brother Bobby) were reportedly at his bedside when he died, The Sun is reporting.

"Larry Hagman was my best friend for 35 years. He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew," Gray told ET in a statement. "He was creative, generous, funny, loving and talented, and I will miss him enormously. He was an original and lived life to the fullest ... The world was a brighter place because of Larry Hagman."

Victoria Principal, who played Pamela Barnes Ewing, added, "Larry was bigger than life ... on screen and off. He is unforgettable, and irreplaceable, to millions of fans around the world, and in the hearts of each of us, who was lucky enough to know and love him. Look out God ... Larry's leading the parade."

Video: J.R. Menaces in New 'Dallas'

Hagman, who also starred as Air Force Captain Anthony Nelson in I Dream of Jeannie, was last seen on television in TNT's Dallas reboot, where he returned to play his most well-known character.

"Larry Hagman was a giant, a larger-than-life personality whose iconic performance as J.R. Ewing will endure as one of the most indelible in entertainment history," Warner Bros., Dallas executive producers Cynthia Cidre and Michael M. Robin, and the show's cast and crew said in a statement. "He truly loved portraying this globally recognized character, and he leaves a legacy of entertainment, generosity and grace. Everyone at Warner Bros. and in the Dallas family is deeply saddened by Larry's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and dear friends during this difficult time."

"It was truly an honor to share the screen with Mr. Larry Hagman," Dallas reboot star Jesse Metcalfe, who plays Christopher Ewing, said in a statement. "With piercing wit and undeniable charm he brought to life one of the most legendary television characters of all time. But to know the man, however briefly, was to know a passion and dedication for life and acting that was profoundly inspirational."

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Confidential Nassau County police documents — including info on undercover cops — used as confetti in Macy's parade

Warzer Jaff

Some of the shredded documents tossed as confetti during the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Red-faced Nassau County officials are investigating how confidential police documents — which contained arrest records, social security numbers, and information about undercover officers — was tossed from windows as confetti during Thursday's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Midtown.

WPIX reports that paradegoers at the annual event were stunned when the poorly-shredded documents landed on city streets, with the sensitive information still clearly visible despite being cut into strips.

Among the information that could be easily seen included details of Mitt Romney's motorcade during a visit to Long Island, arrest records, and the identities, social security numbers and birth dates of Nassau County police detectives — some of whom appear to be undercover cops, the station reported,

Nassau County police spokesman Inspector Kenneth Lack told the station that the department "is very concerned about this situation" and has launched an investigation.

Macy's told the station that whoever threw the confetti did it on their own: The parade uses "commercially manufactured, multicolor confetti, not shredded paper," Macy's said.

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For Miami, new cruise ships a cause for celebration

Miami’s ship has come in. And it looks more like a fleet.

The Carnival Breeze, which starts regular sailings from its new year-round home Saturday, will be joined Thursday by Oceania Cruises’ Riviera and Dec. 1 by Celebrity Reflection. All three launched earlier this year in Europe and make their U.S. debut in Miami.

After a three-year dry stretch that saw no shiny new vessels mooring in Miami’s waters — and years of efforts to draw new operators coupled with millions spent on upgrades — the port is touting its biggest expansion ever with the three new ships as well as three new cruise lines signing on for this season and next.

“You want your newest ships to have the newest facilities, and that’s what Miami has done,” said Miami cruise expert Stewart Chiron, CEO of CruiseGuy.com.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises moved its ships from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to Miami, and Disney Cruise Line will sail for the first time from Miami starting in late December. Next year, MSC will bring its newest ship, Divina, to Miami after previously sailing from Fort Lauderdale.

And Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line, which reignited the parade of new ships in 2010 with the Norwegian Epic, is bringing the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Getaway in January 2014 to Miami, where it will sail year-round.

“I never, ever would have considered going anywhere else, because we are a Miami company and we really believe that means something,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian’s president and CEO.

That hasn’t always been the universal sentiment. Nearly six years ago, the port was under fire for a history of inefficiency and sub-par facilities. In late 2007, Royal Caribbean chose Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale as homeport for Oasis and Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ships — despite having a Miami headquarters.

The presence of those giant ships has meant some other cruise lines felt the squeeze, and a couple, like Regent Seven Seas Cruises and MSC Cruises, have opted to move south.

“Once upon a time, Port Everglades was known as the boutique cruise ship port,” said Frank Del Rio, chairman and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent company of Oceania and the luxury Regent Seven Seas. “Now Port Everglades is the megaship port. We’re the antithesis of megaships.”

But Chiron said the moves aren’t necessarily a negative for Fort Lauderdale’s port.

“These ship movements and repositionings, all it’s really doing is opening up both ports for really bright future opportunities,” he said.

Port Everglades has grown its multiday cruise passenger numbers from about 2.6 million in fiscal 2008 to an expected more than 3.6 million on 45 ships in fiscal year 2012. By comparison, PortMiami’s passenger numbers have grown from about 3.8 million in 2008 to what is expected to be more than 4 million with 26 ships at the peak for the current fiscal year.

For its part, Port Everglades continues to invest in upgrades, recently finishing the $54 million reconstruction of four cruise terminals under a 2010 agreement with Carnival Corp. for brands including Holland America Line, Seabourn and Princess Cruises.

The investments go on at PortMiami as well, where director Bill Johnson, who took the job in 2006, listened to criticism that Miami hadn’t done enough to support the cruise industry. In the last few years, the port built a pair of terminals for Carnival for about $100 million. Since those terminals opened about four years ago, the port will have spent and continues to spend $70 million more in improvements, Johnson said.

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Woman dies after being struck by train in northeast Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade police are investigating the death of an unidentified woman who was struck by a train early Thursday, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said.

The woman was hit at the intersection of NE 186 Street and West Dixie Highway at about 1 p.m.

It is unclear why she was on the tracks.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Spotlight on Thanksgiving: Stars Who Love to Cook

Look Who's Cooking

By Anna Kleyman

"What's cooking, good looking?" may just be the perfect question for some A-list celebs who like to get their cook on in the kitchen. To celebrate Thanksgiving, we're counting down Hollywood's kitchen MVPs including Jennifer Aniston, Blake Lively, Gwyneth Paltrow and more.

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Secret gov't emails detail Osama bin Laden's burial at sea

Internal emails among U.S. military officers indicate that no sailors watched Osama bin Laden's burial at sea from the USS Carl Vinson and traditional Islamic procedures were followed during the ceremony.

The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act, are heavily blacked out, but are the first public disclosure of government information about the al-Qaida leader's death. The emails were released Wednesday by the Defense Department.

Bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011, by a Navy SEAL team that assaulted his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

AP

Osama bin Laden

One email stamped secret and sent on May 2 by a senior Navy officer briefly describes how bin Laden's body was washed, wrapped in a white sheet, and then placed in a weighted bag.

According to another message from the Vinson's public affairs officer, only a small group of the ship's leadership was informed of the burial.

"Traditional procedures for Islamic burial was followed," the May 2 email from Rear Adm. Charles Gaouette reads. "The deceased's body was washed (ablution) then placed in a white sheet. The body was placed in a weighted bag. A military officer read prepared religious remarks, which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker. After the words were complete, the body was placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, whereupon the deceased's body slid into the sea."

The email also included a cryptic reference to the intense secrecy surrounding the mission. "The paucity of documentary evidence in our possession is a reflection of the emphasis placed on operational security during the execution of this phase of the operation," Gaouette's message reads. Recipients of the email included Adm. Mike Mullen, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. James Mattis, the top officer at U.S. Central Command. Mullen retired from the military in September 2011.

Earlier, Gaouette, then the deputy commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet, and another officer used code words to discuss whether the helicopters carrying the SEALs and bin Laden's body had arrived on the Vinson.

"Any news on the package for us?" he asked Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, commander of the carrier strike group that included the Vinson.

"FEDEX delivered the package," Perez responded. "Both trucks are safely enroute home base."

Although the Obama administration has pledged to be the most transparent in American history, it is keeping a tight hold on materials related to the bin Laden raid. In a response to separate requests from the AP for information about the mission, the Defense Department said in March that it could not locate any photographs or video taken during the raid or showing bin Laden's body. It also said it could not find any images of bin Laden's body on the Vinson.

The Pentagon also said it could not find any death certificate, autopsy report or results of DNA identification tests for bin Laden, or any pre-raid materials discussing how the government planned to dispose of bin Laden's body if he were killed.

The Defense Department also refused to confirm or deny the existence of helicopter maintenance logs and reports about the performance of military gear used in the raid. One of the stealth helicopters that carried the SEALs to Abbottabad crashed during the mission and its wreckage was left behind. People who lived near bin Laden's compound took photos of the disabled chopper.

The AP is appealing the Defense Department's decision. The CIA, which ran the bin Laden raid and has special legal authority to keep information from ever being made public, has not responded to AP's request for records about the mission.

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1 dead, 3 injured in Bahamas helicopter crash

NASSAU, Bahamas – Officials say a helicopter has crashed in an upscale Bahamas resort, killing one U.S. citizen and injuring at least three others.

Miami Herald news partner WFOR CBS 4 reported one of the survivors was Jeffrey Soffer, owner the Fontainebleau resort in Miami Beach.

North Abaco parliamentarian Renardo Curry says at least four Americans were on the helicopter when it crashed Thursday morning in Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club on Great Guana Cay.

Police have not released the identities of the passengers or other details about the crash.

Curry says the helicopter was attempting to land at Baker’s Bay when a wind gust sent the aircraft spiraling.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham says one passenger died and three survivors are being treated at a clinic. He says their injuries are apparently not life threatening.

Baker’s Bay is a playground for millionaires located about 150 miles off Florida’s eastern coast.

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Fact check: Did precinct in Allen West race have 900 ballots cast but only 7 registered voters?

Election night found U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, in unfamiliar territory: He hadn’t won, but he wasn’t convinced that he had lost either.

West clearly lost his first bid for Congress against U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, in 2008. And two years later, he clearly thumped Klein.

But on the night of Nov. 6, 2012, state results showed Democrat Patrick Murphy narrowly ahead but outside of recount territory in one of the most expensive and high-profile U.S. House contests in the country. (West beat Klein in Congressional District 22 but then moved due to redistricting. You can read our full West fact-check file here.)

By the morning, West demanded a closer look at results in Congressional District 18, which spans parts of Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Martin counties. Most of the controversy centered on St. Lucie, which had trouble counting ballots.

That led to a whirlwind two weeks of court hearings, partial recounts, a visit by state election officials to monitor the mayhem, scrutiny of St. Lucie County election supervisor Gertrude Walker and around-the-clock news coverage. Every morsel was put under the microscope, including Murphy’s false claim that West had never shaken his hand, prompting the West campaign to point to a photo of the two candidates shaking hands at a debate.

A Nov. 18 article in the Palm Beach Post paraphrased West campaign manager Tim Edson raising questions about St. Lucie’s ballot counting. "Among them: Preliminary totals showed 900 voters cast ballots in Precinct 93, where only seven voters are registered, Edson said." The claim that about 900 voters casting ballots in a precinct with only 7 voters went viral and was repeated on a CBS news website and on a West fan page on Facebook.

"#AllenWestRecount - A Pct had - 7 registered voters in Guatemalan community and the tally showed 900 voted!!!!! - THIS IS NOT OFFICIAL YET - The commissioner has NOT announced ANYONE the winner or the numbers yet. They are STILL behind closed doors."

On Nov. 20, West conceded, though he continued to raise questions about St. Lucie County results. On the same day, a PolitiFact reader asked us about a claim he found on Facebook about Precinct 93. He asked us "Is this true and newsworthy? Or is it just conservatives whining that they lost?"

So we went in search of what went down in Precinct 93 -- otherwise known as Golden Ponds Recreation Center in St. Lucie County.

St. Lucie County and the ‘bungled’ count

First, some more background on the West-Murphy postelection battle in St. Lucie County, which started election night when the county had trouble reading ballots on tabulation machines.

You can read blow-by-blow accounts from the Palm Beach Post or the Associated Press.

As the door on West’s chances appeared to be closing, the Palm Beach Post wrote Nov. 18: "The St. Lucie County Canvassing Board missed a noon Nov. 18th deadline to file results to the state Division of Elections so that left previously submitted certified unofficial results standing: Murphy was ahead of West by about .58 percent."

The root of the confusion about Precinct 93

Part of the West campaign claim isn’t in dispute. The St. Lucie County Supervisor of Electionswebsite shows seven active voters in Precinct 93 -- three Democrats, three Republicans and one "other," as of September 2012.

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Ariel Winter's Sister Continues Temporary Custody

The real-life drama for Modern Family's Ariel Winter continues as a judge granted temporary custody to continue with Winter's sister Shanelle Gray, ET has learned.

PICS: Legendary Kid Stars

This news follows today's objection filed by Winter's dad Glenn Workman, stating that he is "more than capable of caring for Ariel in every way."

Winter's brother, Jimmy Workman, also wrote a declaration, pleading with the court system and the Department of Children and Family Services to help his family get back together.

"I have NEVER seen any physical or emotional abuse in the home of my parents regarding Ariel," Jimmy wrote in his declaration. "I have seen normal mother and daughter arguments and banter back and forth but nothing more. Counseling was set up for [Ariel's mom] Chrisoula and Ariel to get to the root of their issues and corrected."

VIDEO: Ariel Winter's Mom Speaks

In October, temporary guardianship of Ariel was granted to Shanelle after court documents were filed, claiming that Ariel "has been the victim of ongoing physical abuse (slapping, hitting, pushing) and emotional abuse (vile name calling, personal insults about minor and minor's height, attempts to 'sexualize' minor, deprivation of food, etc.) for an extended period of time by the minor's mother [Chrisoula 'Crystal' Workman]..."

Crystal denies the allegations, telling ET today, "I love my daughter. I want to reunite our family. All allegations are false. Please pray for my family."

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Cops questioning person of interest in Brooklyn shopkeeper slays

Cops are questioning a person of interest in the serial killings of three Brooklyn shopkeepers, law enforcement sources told the Post.

The mustachioed man seen carrying a duffel bag near the scene of the latest killing in Flatbush is being interviewed by investigators at the 68th precinct, the sources said.

The unidentified man was seen near the scene of Friday’s murder of Rahmatollah Vahidipour, 78, who was closing up his shop just after 7 pm when he was shot three times.

Casings left at the scene were matched by ballistics tests to two other killings on July 6 and Aug. 2 that were committed with the same .22-caliber handgun.

NYPD / Splash News

This is "John Doe Duffel Bag" - a person of interest in the Brooklyn shopkeeper killings.

A man that resembled “Duffel Bag” was also spotted on grainy surveillance footage near the scene of the shooting of Bensonhurst store owner Isaac Kadare, 59, sources have said — but Police Commissioner Ray Kelly yesterday dismissed the similarity.

“No, that is not the case,” Kelly said. “He was in the vicinity ... roughly at the time we believe the [latest] murder took place."

Cops have also ruled out a man who was identified as a person of interest in the shooting of Kadare.

”It is no longer relevant,” said Kelly. “ That individual washed out again. ... He’s not a subject. He’s a person we simply wanted to speak to.”

Each of the three murders occurred while the lone business owner was closing up shop and all three bodies were also covered when they were discovered, cops said.

“It may be significant, it may not, but in all three cases, the victim’s head was covered either by cardboard or clothing of some sort,” said Kelly.

Mohamed Gebeli, 65, was shot to death on July 6 in his Bay Ridge clothing store and Kadare was stabbed in the neck and shot in the head roughly one month later at his Bensonhurst 99 cent store.

Employees of stores near the latest Flatbush killing are being told by cops to use security cameras and to not close up shop alone.

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Dear daughter, let me give you some career advice ...

My daughter, a high school junior, wants to be a teacher. That doesn’t sit well with my husband, who worries about the state of education and the job outlook. He and I regularly debate whether we should encourage her to pursue this interest, or strongly steer her in another direction.

Today, coaching our kids about career paths is complicated. Many of my reporter and editor friends who witnessed an overhaul of the media world are highly opposed to their kids becoming journalists. Where parents of the past pushed their kids to follow in their footsteps, we want the generation of college-bound kids we raise to go where the jobs will be.

American workers’ experiences during the recession and the uncertainty of the global economy have made many of us more opinionated about what careers our kids pursue. We have witnessed job loss and burnout. We have seen highly educated professionals such as lawyers and bankers lose their jobs. And worse, we have seen college graduating classes face an overwhelmingly tough employment arena. While it’s true that a college degree usually guarantees better wages, the mantra of parents clearly has become: Can you land a decent-paying job with that degree?

As parents, we’re just beginning to understand that the next generation will have to navigate the workplace differently. Experts forecast that workers starting out now will switch careers — that’s careers, not jobs — an average of more than three times during their lives. Should parents, then, worry less about guiding our kids into careers and focus more on helping our kids identify skills to succeed in the new economy?

Whether my daughter becomes a teacher or an engineer, her success likely will come from a mastery of technology, languages and communications skills. Most importantly, she will need the mindset to be a problem solver, innovator, risk taker and self marketer. She will need to be prepared to continuously acquire new skills, a lesson my generation has learned the hard way.

“We are fooling ourselves to think young people will get a degree and spend the next 20 years at a single company or in a single industry,” says John Swartz, regional director of career services at Everest College, which has campuses in 30 cities including Miami. “They will have to be more focused on dealing with change. In this new world order, they have to follow the jobs in demand, acquire the right skills or at least transferable skills, and know that the skill set needed might change.”

For example, Swartz says, he has seen young people get training to become medical assistants because they have a passion to help others. They later were able to apply those skills to other jobs in healthcare. “Parents need to help their kids soul search, then support their decision whatever they choose, understanding that every good high-wage job requires more skill,” Swartz says.

Cesar Alvarez, executive chairman of Greenberg Traurig law firm, factors this concept into how he advises his four children, 28, 27, 22 and 21. For centuries, the law profession has attracted smart, principled men and women. Yet, in the last few years, we’ve seen lawyers underemployed, law partners burned out and law grads without jobs. I asked Alvarez whether he has encouraged any of his children to enter the legal profession.

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Miami-Dade mayor, commissioners to be sworn in on Tuesday

Newly re-elected Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and seven commissioners will be sworn-in on Tuesday.

The public is invited to the 9:30 a.m. ceremony at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center at 10950 SW 211st St. in Cutler Bay

Besides Gimenez, commissioners being sworn-in are: Audrey M. Edmonson, Barbara J. Jordan, Bruno A. Barreiro, Xavier L. Suarez, Dennis C. Moss and Esteban Bovo, Jr. , along with newly elected commissioner Juan C. Zapata.

All eight were elected on Nov. 6.

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How a Subway Sandwich Led to 'Life of Pi'

Ang Lee's highly anticipated adaptation of Life of Pi comes to the big screen in lush 3D on November 21, and newcomer Suraj Sharma says he landed the lead by chance when his nervous brother bribed him with a Subway sandwich to keep him company at the audition!

Video: First Look: 'Life of Pi' Trailer

"I guess I got pretty lucky, because I didn't know what I was doing," says the 20-year-old Sharma of landing the role of a lifetime in the philosophical survival/adventure tale. "What more can you want? It's super exciting."

Life of Pi follows Pi Patel (Sharma), the son of an Indian zookeeper who seeks refuge on a lifeboat after his freighter sinks, adrift alone in the Pacific in tight quarters with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Half-delusional with thirst and hunger, how can Pi survive his epic journey?

Related: 'Life of Pi' Sets Sail

The Oscar winning Lee tells ET of casting Sharma as the lead, "He looks like Pi. When I saw him, I saw the movie. He's a soulful young man. I think the camera and audience will like him, and he's an incredible talent -- halfway through the [screen] test I knew I had the movie."

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Prince Street rape victim tells jury she withstood attack by 'shutting off'

Four years ago on Prince Street, a 19-year-old college student with hot pink hair was raped by boxcutter-wielding fiend, a stranger who'd stalked her by subway and pushed his way into her building.

Today, the woman bravely described her ordeal to a Manhattan rape jury in hopes of winning a conviction against the man whose DNA matches that left in the attack.

"Shhhhhh," he kept telling her as he held the blade to her throat, she testified.

Eventually, "I just shut off," the woman, who now lives in Germany, said tearfully, recounting the attack on the concrete floor of her building's courtyard. "I kind of went somewhere else. I honestly couldn't -- my mind turned off or went somewhere else," she said.

Andres Suarez, 30, was linked to the crime after his DNA was swabbed for the state database after a recent assault arrest, and it matched DNA left at the scene.

He kept his eyes glued on the woman as she testified against her. She returns for cross examination by defense lawyer Ralph Cherchian tomorrow.

"He may have gotten away that day, but he left his mark," lead prosecutor Shannon Lucy told jurors in opening statements.

Suarez is charged with predatory sex assault, rape, and burglary.

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Growing middle class feeds spirits business in Latin America

Diageo executive Randy Millian is proud of the fact that eight out of every 12 times someone pours a standard or premium whiskey in the Latin American and Caribbean region, they’re drinking one of his company’s brands.

That kind of dominance is why the spirits giant is bullish on its future in Latin America, which recently has been the fastest growing region for Diageo worldwide. In 2012, the Latin America and Caribbean region represented 12 percent of Diageo’s net worldwide sales and 11 percent of the company’s operating profit. Diageo hopes Brazil will become one of its top three markets by 2017, behind the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

But getting there hasn’t been easy. During periods of economic and political unrest in the region over the last decade, there were times when it would have been more profitable for Diageo to pull back, said Millian, president of Diageo Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, the company focused on growing its scotch business across the region and it paid off. Over the last eight years, Diageo has increased sales more than two and a half times and almost tripled its operating profit.

“I believed it would get good,” said Millian, who supervises more than 3,000 employees across the region and 119 in Miami. “But I’m not sure I realized it would get this good.”

Millian has been running the region out of Diageo’s Miami office for more than a decade. But he’s also no stranger to this part of the world. He first lived in Argentina as a child and during his career has done stints in Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica.

The Miami Herald sat down with Millian during a media day, which was part of a Diageo investor conference in Miami spotlighting the success in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Here is some of what Millian had to say:

Q. Has your growth over the last decade been comparable to Diageo’s growth around the world?

We would definitely be in the top positions in the league within Diageo. That’s one of the reasons they’re focusing on us. Like many corporations, the emerging markets have a huge potential for growth. I’m including Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. We are seeing higher growth rates than we are seeing in the developed world, especially Europe. Although the U.S. is starting to come back, the growth rates in the emerging markets are significantly higher.

Q. What is driving the growth Diageo is experiencing in Latin America?

The improved demographics. You now have over 50 percent of the population who is middle class. You have had an increase in spending. Not only are there more people in the middle class, but you have more people in the (upper) class. We expect over the next year to have 60 million more people in the (upper) class. They’re also learning to spend money in different ways.

Q. In what countries do you see the most growth or most opportunities for future growth? Is Brazil the main focus?

There has been broad growth in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru. We have seen it all over, but those would be the ones we’re focusing on. It’s not just Brazil, it’s throughout the region.

Q. Why did you remain committed to this region over years when there was not a lot of growth and there was a lot of political and economic unrest in some countries?

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Allen West seeks hearing after opponent declares victory in congressional race

The St. Lucie County canvassing board has missed a noon deadline to file election results to the Division of Elections, prompting campaign officials for Patrick Murphy to declare the political newcomer the winner in the race for congressional District 18 race.

Under Florida law, the final certified results were due from all of the state’s 67 supervisors of elections today. If the results do not arrive on time, the certified unofficial results submitted last Sunday stand. Those results have Murphy winning by 0.58 percent. A spread of less than 0.5 percent would have triggered an automatic recount.

“All Patrick Murphy wanted was to follow the law,” said attorney Gerald Richman, a member of Murphy’s legal team. “They absolutely missed it (deadline). Whatever it is, it is. We just want the law to be followed.”

Tim Edson, West's campaign manager, disagreed.

“As usual, Murphy’s people are full of garbage,” Edson said. “This is something the secretary of state and governor will have to sort out.”

Edson said other problems arose this morning. The recount showed 900 voters cast ballots in precinct 93, where there are 7 registered voters, Edson said.

“We have concerns here,” Edson said. “The results are raising more questions.”

Shortly after the deadline passed, attorneys for West headed to the St. Lucie County Courthouse to request an emergency hearing on the issue. It is not known if a hearing has been scheduled.

The canvassing board resumed ballot counting at 8 a.m. this morning in the tight congressional race between West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, and Murphy under the watchful eyes of dozens of attorneys and supporter of both candidates.

Canvassing board member Tod Lowery, who regularly updates the audience on the process, said the board still had write-in ballots and other questionable ballots from eight days of early voting to review before the noon deadline, by which the state’s 67 supervisors of elections must submit their final, certified tallies.

Last Sunday, the canvassing board agree to recount ballots cast the last three days of early voting after election officials revealed that machines had been unable to read some of the electronic memory cartridges. West’s attorneys then sought a recount of all early ballots after the elections office conceded to double-counting some ballots and ignoring others on election night.

“There was such a cloud of suspicion,” said Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, a Boca Raton attorney on the West legal team. Shapiro observed much of the ballot review in Palm Beach County.

“I felt the way the Palm Beach County supervisor of elections handled it created suspicion, and I still don’t know if it was unnecessary or justified,” Shapiro said.

That recount began at 9:40 a.m. Saturday and continued until 10 p.m. Unlike the four-day ballot review in Palm Beach County that ended Nov. 10 — where Palm Beach Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher offered few updates and ignored or routinely declined to answer questions from reporters, attorneys and the public — the St. Lucie County Canvassing Board has allowed representatives has encouraged officials from both campaigns to agree on protocol. That includes how and when results will be released today.

“We just want to be transparent and assure voters that every vote is counted,” said County Judge Kathryn Nelson, a member of the canvassing board.

Murphy’s campaign officials declined to comment on the recount process. However, Edson said he is pleased with how smoothly the recount has gone and impressed with the canvassing board’s attention to detail.

“I’m confident with what we’ve seen here, the results will be accurate,” Edson said.

One lingering concern remains: the West team’s request to view the poll sign-in sheets from election day. Edson said they had received some of those records from Palm Beach County and have not received the sign-in sheets — which voters sign went the vote — in St. Lucie County. West’s campaign wants to compare the number of signatures on the poll sign-in sheets to the computer tabulations.

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Breaking Dawn Part 2 Wins Box Office

Breaking Dawn: Part 2 took in a staggering $141.3 million for its debut, the eighth biggest opening weekend of all time.

Video: Nikki Reed Duets with Hubby for 'Twilight' Song

The final installment of the Twilight Saga series eclipsed its runner-up Skyfall by nearly a hundred million dollars. The latest Bond film earned $41.5 million in its second weekend in the U.S..

Lincoln, starring Oscar-winner Daniel Day Lewis, placed third with $21.0 million. The Steven Spielberg-directed film beat out Wreck-It Ralph, which took in $18.3 million.

Denzel Washington's Flight rounds out the top five with $8.6 million.

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Manhattan borough head Stringer to run for city comptroller

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer will run for city comptroller next year, he announced Sunday in a move that will also reverberate through closely watched maneuvering for the mayor’s race.

Stringer had been among Democrats considered likely to run to replace Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose third and final term ends next year. Now, the borough president is entering a race with some complicated political dynamics in its own right. Incumbent Democratic Comptroller John Liu is a likely mayoral candidate, though he has been laboring under a political cloud since a federal investigation into his 2009 campaign fundraising led to two arrests. Liu hasn’t been charged with any wrongdoing.

Stringer has been borough president for seven years and was a state assemblyman for 13. So far, he’ll face City Councilman Daniel Garodnick in the Democratic field for the comptroller’s race; Democratic Councilman Domenic Recchia also is viewed as a likely contender.

Stringer said he has the experience to take on the city’s financial challenges, which now face the added strain of Superstorm Sandy recovery costs.

“To me, the comptroller is an incredibly consequential office, and it’s never been more important,” Stringer said by phone Sunday, as he also announced endorsements from former Mayor Ed Koch, Rep. Jerrold Nadler and others. “I want to work to get the city back on sound financial footing.”

Even before the storm, the city was facing a more than $600 billion budget hole this year and a $2.5 billion forecast deficit next year. Although the complete storm expenses haven’t been tallied, emergency contracts for shoring up beaches, picking up debris and other tasks have cost more than $120 million, and officials agreed this week to spend $500 million to jump-start repairs to public schools and hospitals.

There had been talk for months that Stringer, 52, might ultimately seek the comptroller’s seat instead of the mayoralty. He had lagged other potential Democratic mayoral contenders in polls; a NY1-Marist poll of registered Democrats last month showed him getting support from 6 percent, behind City Council Speaker Christine Quinn at 23 percent, former city Comptroller Bill Thompson at 15 percent, Liu at 9 percent and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 8 percent. Di Blasio endorsed Stringer for comptroller Sunday; Liu, Quinn and Thompson praised his acumen and accomplishments but didn’t make any endorsement for now.

Asked about the choice, Stringer said he felt he could “have the biggest impact” as comptroller.

As the city’s chief financial officer, the comptroller makes recommendations about various policies, manages city pension funds, analyzes the budget and audits agencies and programs.

Stringer noted that he served as a trustee of the city employees’ pension fund and, as borough president, has issued reports questioning city spending money in areas ranging from housing to education.

Garodnick’s campaign reiterated Sunday that the former securities litigator is running regardless of the field.

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Panama Canal’s $5 billion makeover could be boon for South Florida

PANAMA CITY, Panama --
Huge yellow dump trucks resemble Tonka toys in a sand pile as they haul tons of rust-colored dirt and basalt rock from a 56-foot gash in the earth that will become a new access channel in the $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal.

The trucks keep rumbling up muddy terraced slopes as a quick-moving storm blurs the horizon. The rain chases away workers pouring concrete for a mammoth set of locks that will lift super-size ships for their transit across the narrow Isthmus of Panama, but the crews are back in the pit as soon as the sun returns.

By April 2015, it will all be under water — ready for the ever-bigger vessels revolutionizing international trade. The expansion is expected to double the canal’s capacity.

The 2015 target is about six months behind schedule, but U.S. ports are still scrambling to ready their channels for so-called post-Panamax ships and some say they welcome the reprieve. At this point, Baltimore and Norfolk, Va. are the only ports along the Eastern Seaboard with channels deep enough to handle the vessels when they’re fully loaded.

Call it the race for deep water as ports up and down the East Coast, including PortMiami and Port Everglades, and along the Gulf of Mexico make plans to dredge their channels, shore up their docks or rustle up funding for renovations to receive the big ships. Many won’t be ready by the time water floods the new locks.

PortMiami in position to cash in

PortMiami is further along than most and is hoping that early advantage and its position as the first major U.S. port north of Panama will make it a preferred port of call for post-Panamax ships.

Latin American and Caribbean ports also are trying to figure out how to capitalize on the expansion.

As this new phase of canal construction nears completion with 13,000 people working around the clock, there is renewed interest in preserving the history of the old Panama Canal Zone as well as the legacy of those who worked and died building the canal.

While the 50-mile-long Panama Canal has provided a maritime shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific for the past 98 years, it’s just about maxed out.

This year vessels from the four corners of the globe — car carriers from Japan, bulk carriers loaded with soybeans and wheat from the U.S. heartland, oil tankers, towering container ships carrying the output of Chinese factories to U.S. retailers — are expected to move a record 332 million tons of cargo through the waterway, said Jorge L. Quijano, chief executive of the Panama Canal Authority.

That’s only about 20 million tons short of the canal’s capacity, he said. The canal is also popular with cruise lines and dozens of cruise ships are being built that exceed the size limits of the current canal.

But the more immediate problem is that the huge cargo ships increasingly favored for trade with Asia are too wide, too long and too heavy for the current canal.

With a growing number of ships in the post-Panamax category — exceeding the specifications for the largest ship that can fit through the existing locks — the Panama Canal must expand or risk losing market share.

And post-Panamax vessels aren’t even the biggest on the high seas. Post-Panamax Plus ships, such as most U.S. tankers that carry liquefied natural gas bound for Asia, are five times too big for the Panama Canal.

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