Comment on U.S. official: Iraq 'less safe' than year ago

The Miami Dolphins did not practice on Christmas Day, but they released a league-mandated injury report Wednesday which revealed new injuries to two starting defenders. The Dolphins, in estimations of practice participation while not going through drills, reported that linebacker Anthony Walker and safety Jordan Poyer would have missed a Wednesday practice. Poyer is dealing with new knee and finger injuries.

President-elect Donald Trump wants a Miami-Dade County commissioner to serve as ambassador to Panama. The nomination comes as Trump is threatening to retake control of the Panama Canal over fees charged U. S. ships in the waterway. Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, a Republican who won his county election two years ago after an endorsement by Trump, got the ambassador nod on Christmas Day through a social media post by the president-elect.

ORLANDO — Forward Jimmy Butler is expected to miss his third consecutive game when the Heat face the Orlando Magic on Thursday night at Kia Center. Butler formally was listed as doubtful on the Heat’s Wednesday injury report, with a designation of “return-to-competition reconditioning.” He previously had been listed as out for the prior two games due to a stomach illness. Butler, who left in the first quarter of the Heat’s Dec.

Gus Malzahn’s decision to resign immediately after the season finale kicked off a transfer portal window that opened on Dec. 9, so UCF expected plenty of activity. The Knights ended a 4-8 campaign, their second consecutive losing season in which they missed the postseason for the first time since 2015-16. SIGNED LB Keli Lawson Vitals: 6-6, 220 pounds Resume: Lawson played at Sherando High School as a three-year starter.

An Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, leaving at least 32 survivors, according to officials. More than 30 people may be dead. The plane was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Kazakhstan’s Emergency Ministry said in a Telegram statement that those on board included five crew.