Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld arrives commissioning ceremony of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Saturday, July, 22, 2017. 

SOURCE: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has died in Taos, New Mexico, according to a post on his official Twitter page Wednesday afternoon.

He was 88 years old.

"History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country," the post read. Rumsfeld served as the secretary of defense under President Gerald Ford and President George W. Bush. Regarded by former colleagues as equally smart and combative, patriotic and politically cunning, Rumsfeld had a storied career under four presidents and nearly a quarter century in corporate America.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/donald-rumsfeld-dies-at-88/36892479

PHILADELPHIA —

Pennsylvania's highest court threw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction and released him from prison Wednesday in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as "America’s Dad," ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor's agreement not to charge Cosby.

Cosby, 83, served nearly three years of a three- to 10-year sentence after being found guilty of drugging and violating Temple University sports administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He was the first celebrity tried and convicted in the #MeToo era.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/court-overturns-bill-cosbys-sex-assault-conviction/36890551

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams was forced to retire from her first-round match at the All England Club against Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Tuesday due to an injury suffered in the first set. With Williams leading 3-1 in the first set, the 39-year-old American appeared to slip and hurt herself during a return.

Williams left the court to receive medical attention. After returning, with the match now tied at 3-3, Williams buckled at the baseline midpoint before gingerly walking off the court in tears, acknowledging the fans as she departed. "I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today after injuring my right leg," said Williams in an Instagram post. "My love and gratitude are with the fans and the team who make being on centre court so meaningful.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/serena-williams-forced-to-retire-wimbledon-injury-2021/36880548

While there are many factors — like environment, family history and age — that can affect how long you live, there’s no shortage of research to back up the very strong connection between diet and longevity.

“Fruits and vegetables contain compounds that reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, some cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and obesity, which is one of the reasons health experts are constantly trying to encourage people to eat more of them,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, author of Eating in Color.

But fruits and vegetables aren’t the only foods you should be nourishing your body with to play your best defense against diseases. Here is a laundry list of the most nutritious foods to add to your diet to improve your longevity and protect your health.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/best-foods-for-longevity/36825539

NEW YORK —

In another sign of live entertainment's rebirth, Bruce Springsteen returned to Broadway this weekend, strapping on a guitar and reviving a show for an audience that included a member of his E Street Band and the governor of his home state. Springsteen had ended his residency in December 2018 after 236 performances, but was persuaded to return for a summer's encore ahead of most Broadway shows coming back in September.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/the-boss-is-back-bruce-springsteen-reprises-broadway-show-for-summer-run/36854631

Crews continue to search through debris after the collapse of a residential building in Surfside killed at least ten people.

The incident happened at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, when part of Champlain Towers South collapsed. Champlain Towers is made up of three buildings that are each 12 stories tall and contain 342 units. It is located in the small, beachside town of Surfside, about six miles north of Miami Beach. The side of the south building that collapsed is on the ocean side.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said there were more than 100 units in the building and a third of the building "pancaked." FEMA personnel, The Red Cross, people with the State of Emergency Response Team, and teams from Israel and Mexico are on-site helping with rescue efforts.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/surfside-collapse-building-florida-miami-condo-champlain/36861441

MINNEAPOLIS —

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin will serve more than 22 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose slow death under Chauvin's knee set off a fierce and sometimes violent reckoning over racial injustice in America. Chauvin is also awaiting trial on federal civil rights charges in Floyd's death, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials. Chauvin broke his silence at his sentencing, offering condolences to Floyd’s family and saying he hopes more will come out in the future to give them “some peace of mind.”

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/derek-chauvin-sentenced/36830087

At least four people are dead and as many as 159 people are unaccounted for following the collapse of a residential building in Surfside, a town near Miami. The incident happened at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

Thirty-five victims were pulled from the structure and two were pulled from the rubble Thursday, including a boy. Eleven patients are being treated for their injuries.

Fire rescue officials said they have to be careful when searching because the part of the building that is still standing is also shifting. "We're still waiting and unfortunately the hope is still there, but it is weaning," Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman said to CNN. "The rest of the search and rescue efforts has been done by man power on the outside, search on the barrier quarters, also with drones and with dogs. It has shifted now or started to shift to recovery."

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/surfside-building-collapse-deadly-unaccounted-crews-rubble/36838602

SURFSIDE, Fla. —

One person is dead after a partial residential building collapse near Miami at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday. Aventura Hospital and Medical Center in the area received three patients from the collapse, according to ABC News. Two people are in critical condition and one person is in fair condition.

ABC News is waiting to hear from other hospitals if they have received patients.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said 10 people were treated at the scene as units were searched after the initial collapse. He said about 15 families walked out of the building on their own after the collapse. Police said 35 people were pulled out of the building, including the collapsed side, but they were not under the rubble. Officials confirmed there are people trapped under the rubble. Two people were pulled from the collapsed part of the building as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Fire rescue officials said they have to be careful when searching because the part of the building that is still standing is also shifting.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/miami-dade-fire-rescue-responding-to-partial-building-collapse/36823680

Frank Bonner, who played a brash salesman with an affection for polyester plaid suits on the TV comedy "WKRP in Cincinnati," has died. He was 79. Bonner died Wednesday from complications of Lewy body dementia, said his daughter, Desiree Boers-Kort. The actor died at his home in Laguna Niguel, south of Los Angeles.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/frank-bonner-wkrp-in-cincinnati-dies-at-79/36758227

Guests are no longer required to wear masks at Walt Disney World unless on park transportation.

Face coverings are still required for all guests on Disney transportation, including Disney buses, monorails, boats, and the Disney Skyliner.

“While we will not require proof of vaccination, we expect guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, and upon entering and throughout all attractions and transportation. Guests must observe current policies on face coverings until June 15,” a statement from Disney said.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/walt-disney-world-covid-masks-policy-transportation/36720568

Clarence Williams III, who played Linc Hayes in "The Mod Squad," died at his home in Los Angeles after battling colon cancer, his manager Peg Donegan said in a statement Sunday.

Williams was 81.

Williams was born in New York City on Aug. 21, 1939, according to the statement.

He began his career in a production of "Dark of the Moon," and appeared on Broadway in "The Great Outdoors." His performance in "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground" won him a Theatre World Award and a Tony nomination, the statement said. Along with his theatre performances, Williams also starred in several shows and movies, including: "52 Pick-Up," "Against the Wall," "Reindeer Games," "Purple Rain," "The General's Daughter," "American Gangster," "Half Baked" and "Lee Daniels' The Butler."

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/mod-squad-clarence-williams-iii-dies/36651362

The NFL wants to expand its international series by holding regular-season games in Germany, launching a process Wednesday to identify a partner city.

Germany boasts a strong NFL fan base and is one of the world's largest economies, making the country an attractive partner. The NFL has staged 28 regular-season games in London since 2007 and will play two more in October at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. German fans often travel to London to attend games, the league said. "We are very excited about the development of our German fan base, and the time is right to identify a partner who can execute a game at NFL standards as part of our international growth strategy," Brett Gosper, the NFL's head of UK and Europe, said in a statement. The NFL has hired London-based The Sports Consultancy to assist, including working with interested cities to develop their proposals.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/nfl-wants-to-hold-regular-season-games-germany/36674350

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —

Amazon devices including Echo, Alexa, Ring Doorbell and Floodlight camera will now automatically connect to Amazon Sidewalk. Jim Margolis, the owner of Margolis Technologies Inc, said many Amazon Alexa users are already enrolled in the newest service even though they likely don’t know it.

“That’s what sort of angered a lot of Alexa users and Amazon customers - they didn’t make it an opt-in,” Margolis said. “They made it an opt-out. So unless you actively go and turn it off, you are part of the network already.” Here’s how it works: If your internet goes down and you have Sidewalk enabled, your Amazon devices will still work and can still send you alerts. That’s because those devices will latch on to a nearby internet connection. “It’s turning on a mesh network that Echo and Alexa devices have in them, to extend (where) the Wi-Fi network can go,” Margolis said.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/amazon-sidewalk-feature-is-sharing-your-internet-with-others/36665808

Apple kicked off its annual developers conference on Monday by unveiling new features on iOS 15 that cater to our lives as the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, including updates to video calls on FaceTime and digital keys in Apple Wallet. On FaceTime, Apple will offer new options to let users watch movies or listen to music together during a call. It is also introducing a new grid view to better broadcast every face on a call. Android and Windows users will now also be able to join FaceTime calls.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/apple-just-unveiled-a-bunch-of-new-features-heres-a-look-at-them/36651569

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the use of the experimental drug aducanumab for early phases of Alzheimer's disease — despite an FDA advisory committee concluding last year that there is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of the treatment. The drug was developed for patients with mild cognitive impairment, not severe dementia, and intended to slow progression of Alzheimer's disease — not just ease symptoms.

The FDA has not approved a new Alzheimer's drug in nearly 20 years.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/in-controversial-decision-fda-approves-first-new-alzheimer-s-disease-drug-in-nearly-20-years/36649227

ANAHEIM, Calif. —

Delayed but not daunted, Spider-Man, Black Panther and other superheroes from Marvel Comics will debut their new land this week — mere days before California loosens almost all COVID-19 restrictions. The Avengers Campus is scheduled to open Friday at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim — almost one year after its target date.

A mother-daughter team, who say they've seen every one of the Avengers movies, has already bought their tickets for next month. "I mean, who doesn't love the Avengers?" said Vanessa Valdez while visiting California Adventure on Tuesday. "They're incredible movies. Amazing." "She (Vanessa) said let's watch them all and I said, 'I want to be cool,'" her mother, Francis Lundmark, added. "We sat there for like six weeks and watched all the movies, from Captain America to WandaVision."

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/your-first-look-at-avengers-campus-at-disney-california-adventure/36618298

Colorado State University updated its 2021 Atlantic hurricane season forecast Thursday, adding an additional named storm. The forecast remains that people should expect an "above-average season" with:

• 18 named storms, including Ana (average: 14)
• 8 hurricanes (average: 7)
• 4 major hurricanes (average: 3)

Experts at the university attribute this to weak El Niño conditions and warmer than normal subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.

The updated forecast only changes from the original forecast by adding a single named storm to the season. The number of hurricanes and major hurricanes remains the same, according to the university.

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https://www.wpbf.com/article/hurricane-florida-season-forecast-weather-atlantic/36620738