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TotalBank reports loss of $1.8 million
TotalBank on Friday reported a second quarter net loss of $1.8 million, compared to a first quarter loss of $15.7 million and a loss of $136,000 in the second quarter of 2009. The Miami-based bank said its focus for the first half of this year has been boosting asset quality and fortifying capital, accomplished through a $50 million capital infusion in the first quarter and a $95 million reduction in nonperforming loans during the first half of the year.

Woman threatening to jump from skyscraper snarls Miami traffic
Drivers experienced traffic disruptions Friday morning, north of Brickell Avenue and south of downtown Miami, near the Miami River.

Airfares to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando among nation's cheapest
Fort Lauderdale and Orlando are among the cheapest airports in the nation to fly to, because they attract more leisure travelers than business travelers, data from the Department of Transportation show.

Speed coaching event for small businesses at Nova Southeastern
Need some business advice but want to cut to the chase?<p/> Attend the 2010 Speed Coaching for Small Businesses Saturday, beginning at 8:30 a.m., at the Alvin Sherman Library, Nova Southeastern University, 3100 Ray Ferraro Jr. Blvd., in Davie.

Feds charge Miami men in home-buying scam
With bogus loan applications and the help of a mortgage broker, a group of Miami men bought homes in St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties that were used to grow and store marijuana, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Bus carrying Fort Lauderdale kids bursts into flames; no injuries
A bus carrying school-age children from Fort Lauderdale to a track meet in Virginia burst into flames along Florida's Space Coast, but nobody was hurt.

Miami boy, 11, last seen riding bike found safe
An 11-year-old boy from Miami last seen riding his bike has been found safe.

Man dies after scuba-diving off Florida coast
A 60-year-old man has died after completing two scuba dives from a charter boat off the South Florida coast.

Broward shopkeeper cried after would-be robber left store
Broward sheriff's investigators said Friday the store manager who calmly talked a robber into leaving empty-handed by telling him about her religion broke down crying after the man walked out.

Possible delays Friday on Interstate 595
Broward County drivers may again experience delays during their Friday morning commute due to repair work on ramps connecting U.S. 441 and Interstate 595. One lane of the northbound U.S. 441 ramp to westbound I-595 shut down Thursday so workers could repair a bridge joint, which is part of regular maintenance.

Dolphins at full health for start of camp
Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall has been cleared to participate full-speed at the start of the Miami Dolphins' training camp.

David Tyree and Ike Hilliard retire as NY Giants
Former first-round draft pick Ike Hilliard and Super Bowl hero David Tyree have retired as members of the New York Giants.

DE Grant signs with Dolphins
Defensive end Charles Grant has signed with the Miami Dolphins.

Newman says he was fined by NASCAR
Ryan Newman says he was one of the drivers fined by NASCAR for making critical comments about the racing series and hinted that Denny Hamlin was another.

Redskins sign No. 4 overall pick Trent Williams
The Washington Redskins have reached an agreement with No. 4 overall pick Trent Williams on a six-year, $60 million contract.

Redskins sign No. 4 overall pick Trent Williams
The Washington Redskins have signed No. 4 overall pick Trent Williams to a six-year, $60 million contract that includes $36.75 million in guaranteed money.

Wigginton's sac fly leads Orioles to win in 11
Ty Wigginton's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning broke the game's final tie and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Thursday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Brady says contract talks won't be distraction
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is known for being able to focus on his receivers in the face of oncoming rushers.

Feds charge Miami men in home-buying scam
With bogus loan applications and the help of a mortgage broker, a group of Miami men bought homes in St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties that were used to grow and store marijuana, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Airfares to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando among nation's cheapest
Fort Lauderdale and Orlando are among the cheapest airports in the nation to fly to, because they attract more leisure travelers than business travelers, data from the Department of Transportation show.

Effort to stop Gulf gusher delayed over sediment
The government's point man for the Gulf oil spill says there's been a delay in a procedure that will help stop the gusher for good.

Stocks regain ground after mixed economic reports
Stock prices fluctuated Friday after investors found some upbeat news in the government's assessment of the economy during the April-June quarter.

Alcatel-Lucent posts 2nd quarter loss
Alcatel-Lucent SA says its net loss in the second quarter was a wider-than-expected euro184 million (US$240 million) but said it remains on track for a targeted improvement in profitability this year.

Recession was deeper than gov't previously thought
The recession was deeper than the government previously thought.

No end for Greek fuel protest, tourism slammed
Defying an emergency government order, Greek truck drivers vowed Friday to press ahead with a strike that has halted fuel supplies across the country and is hurting tourism during the peak summer season.

Sanofi-Aventis CEO Viehbacher at a glance
SANOFI-AVENTIS SA CEO Christopher A. Viehbacher.

Judge will bar link to Anna Nicole Smith death
The judge in the trial of Anna Nicole Smith's doctors and lawyer-boyfriend says he will bar all evidence linking the defendants to Smith's fatal drug overdose.

Bus carrying Fort Lauderdale kids bursts into flames; no injuries
A bus carrying school-age children from Fort Lauderdale to a track meet in Virginia burst into flames along Florida's Space Coast, but nobody was hurt.

South Florida, East Coast likely spared oil impact
Federal officials predicted Friday that most Gulf Coast beaches have seen their last major oiling from the BP spill, and South Florida and the East Coast should be spared any impact because the crude never reached the powerful loop current.

Authorities: Gulf coast fisherman drowns
Authorities say a Gulf coast fisherman drowned off the southern shoreline of the Intracoastal Waterway after apparently being swept under by rip currents.

Commercial fishing reopens in SE La.
With approval from federal officials, Louisiana has reopened to commercial fishing a portion of state waters that had been closed because of the BP oil spill.

South bakes, humidity feels like 100-plus degrees
Heat advisories were posted from the Carolinas to the Great Plains as the South continued to roast Friday under temperatures and humidity that made beaches feel more like bakeries.

A homeless with stolen identity goes on ambulance
It took a bill for an ambulance ride for one Panama City Beach woman to realize her identity had been stolen - by a homeless person.

Jury sides with woman fired over pregnancy
A jury has sided with a former Hillsborough Co. Sheriff's Office employee who claimed she was fired because she was pregnant.

Donations for fund to defend Arizona law now $1.6M
The state of Arizona has received more than $1.6 million to help defend the new law cracking down on illegal immigration.

Man charged in Panama killings had checkered past
A man facing charges for killings in Panama had a promising life in North Carolina that quickly turned problematic.

Buckle up, Mr. President, here we go!
Don't say President Barack Obama isn't dutiful and law-abiding.

Scalia: Supreme Court should not be moral arbiters
Antonin Scalia believes Supreme Court justices are all too often deciding the nation's morals from the bench. He thinks the nomination process has turned into "absurd political theater." And he has grown to loathe the "silly spectacle" surrounding State of the Union speeches.

Jewish group opposes ground zero mosque
The nation's leading Jewish civil rights group is opposing the planned mosque and Islamic community center near ground zero.

Mass. condominium complex explosion injures 2
Authorities say two people were hurt in an explosion at a condominium complex under construction in Norfolk, Mass.

1 year anniversary of Americans detained in Iran
Family members of three Americans hikers jailed in Iran are holding a rally in New York City to mark the one-year anniversary of their children's detainment.

Vt. man gets 2 years in prof's stray bullet death
A Vermont man who set up a backyard firing range has been sentenced to two years in prison in the death of a professor who was shot while eating dinner in his own home.

Liberia to require registration of new births
Liberia's government, still recovering from a 14-year civil war and previous decades of poverty and illiteracy, said Friday it will now require all children to get birth certificates, a document most of them lack.

Cambodia claims win in UNESCO tussle over temple
Cambodia declared victory Friday in a diplomatic standoff with Thailand after the U.N. cultural agency agreed to consider its plan for managing a temple that is on land claimed by both countries.

Roadside bomb in Iraq kills 5 members of family
Iraqi police say a roadside bomb north of Baghdad has killed five members of a family, including a 4-year-old girl.

SKorea cracks down on marriage brokers after death
Young and poor, the Vietnamese woman jumped at the chance to marry a South Korean introduced to her through a matchmaking agency.

Irish find remains of IRA victim missing since '81
The suspected remains of a 57-year-old Northern Ireland man who was abducted by the Irish Republican Army in 1981 have been unearthed in a bog in Ireland.

Minority Islamic sect under fire in Indonesia
A minority Islamic sect told followers Friday to prepare for war after rock-throwing mobs attacked one of their mosques in central Indonesia, calling its members heretics.

Uganda court charges 3 men over deadly blasts
A Ugandan court has charged three men with terrorism and murder related to July 11 twin blasts that killed 76 people in the capital.

Muslim court clause brings spotlight in Kenya vote
A draft constitution that Kenya votes on next week guarantees women the same rights as men - unless a judge in a Muslim family court decrees otherwise.

Judge will bar link to Anna Nicole Smith death
The judge in the trial of Anna Nicole Smith's doctors and lawyer-boyfriend says he will bar all evidence linking the defendants to Smith's fatal drug overdose.

Branagh: Shakespeare's superheroes are like `Thor'
Kenneth Branagh is directing "Thor" for Marvel Studios, and some think it's a stretch for him to take on a superhero movie. He's more Shakespearean, having adapted several of the Bard's films for the big screen.

Who will be judged fit to be the 'Idol' judges?
Don't call it "American Idol." Call it "Extreme Makeover: 'Idol' Edition."

Andy Griffith's new role: pitching health care law
Actor Andy Griffith has a new role: pitching President Barack Obama's health care law to seniors in a cable television ad paid for by Medicare.

Sandra Bullock wants out of Gulf restoration video
A spokeswoman for Sandra Bullock says the actress wants her parts of a video promoting Gulf Coast restoration removed until she learns whether oil companies influenced it.

Sandra Bullock wants out of Gulf restoration video
A spokeswoman for Sandra Bullock says the actress wants her parts of a video promoting Gulf Coast restoration removed until she learns whether oil companies influenced it.

Peas 'I Gotta Feeling' downloaded 6 million times
The Black Eyed Peas have more proof of the ubiquity of "I Gotta Feeling."

German rage over festival deaths focuses on mayor
The mayor of the German city where 21 people were crushed to death at a music festival last weekend is facing growing pressure to resign amid nationwide outrage over the tragedy.