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2 dead, thousands of flight cancellations, 1.1 million lose power in eastern US storms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — At least two people died, thousands of U.S. flights were canceled or delayed, and more than 1.1 million homes and businesses lost power Monday as severe storms, including hail and lightning, moved through the eastern U.S.The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the greater D.C. area, lasting until 9 p.m. A special Weather Service statement warned, “There is a significant threat for damaging and locally destructive hurricane-force winds, along with the potential for large hail and tornadoes, even strong tornadoes.”The storms’ spread was massive, with tornado watches and warnings posted across 10 states from Tennessee to New York. The National Weather Service said more than 29.5 million people were under a tornado watch Monday afternoon. In Anderson, South Carolina, a 15-year-old boy who arrived at his grandparent’s house during the storm was struck and killed when a tree fell on him as he got out of a car, according to the Anderson County Office...

Brazil has 1.7 million Indigenous people, near double the count from prior census, government says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

BELEM, Brazil (AP) — The diminutive woman with a white feather headdress stood on the stage of the majestic colonial theater in Brazil’s Amazon on Monday and addressed the crowd. The woman, Minister of Indigenous People Sonia Guajajara, declared the day “the milestone of Indigenous participation,” then cited the national statistics institute’s freshly released census data that revealed the full scope of the nation’s Indigenous population: 1,693,535 people.While just 0.8% of Brazil’s population, the figure marks an 89% jump from the nation’s prior census, in 2010, due to greater willingness of people to recognize their roots and better survey methods, including access to previously unreachable villages, she said. The latter largely explains why their numbers within Indigenous territories grew 20%, to 622,066. “This a historic moment with that picture that the statistics agency has made,” she said on the eve of the two-day Amazon Summit in Belem. “It’s a historic moment of the restart...

Elon Musk says he may need surgery before proposed ‘cage match’ with Mark Zuckerberg

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk says he may need to get surgery before a proposed “cage match” with Mark Zuckerberg.The two tech billionaires seemingly agreed to an in-person face-off in late June. It’s unclear if a physical fight will actually end up happening, but Musk and Zuckerberg have continued to fuel interest in the potential match through online jabs at one another — most recently on Sunday, when Musk said the fight would be live-streamed on his social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.Musk added that the fight’s proceeds would go to a charity for veterans. On his Threads social media account, Zuckerberg responded: “Shouldn’t we use a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity?” In a follow-up post, the CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta said he wasn’t “holding his breath” for a fight.“I’m ready today. I suggested Aug 26 when he first challenged, but he hasn’t confirmed,” wrote Zuckerberg, who is actually trained in mix...

South Korea begins evacuating thousands of global Scouts from its coast as a tropical storm nears

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Buses began moving thousands of global Scouts from their campsite on South Korea’s coast to inland venues Tuesday ahead of a tropical storm that is forecast to bring intense rains and strong winds to the peninsula within days.More than 1,000 vehicles are being used to move 37,000 Scouts — mostly teenagers — from the World Scout Jamboree that opened last week in Buan, a county on South Korea’s southwestern coast. Most will be accommodated in Seoul and the capital’s metropolitan area, where officials have secured university dormitories, government and corporate training centers, and hotels.Tropical Storm Khanun has meandered around Japan’s southwestern islands for more than a week, dumping heavy rain, knocking out power and damaging homes. Early Tuesday morning, the storm was centered 350 kilometers (217 miles) south of Kagoshima, a city on the southwestern tip of Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu. Khanun had winds of 108 kph (67 mph) w...

Orioles indicate broadcaster will be back after reports he was pulled over unflattering stats

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles indicated that broadcaster Kevin Brown would be back on the air soon after reports that his recent absence was because he mentioned that the team had already won as many games at Tampa Bay this year as it did over the previous three seasons.Announcers such as Michael Kay of the YES Network came to Brown’s defense Monday night.“MLB has to get involved,” Kay, who does play-by-play for the New York Yankees, said on social media. “This is an awful look and a terrible thing to do to a terrific broadcaster.”The Athletic, citing unidentified sources, reported that Brown was taken off the air over his comments on a MASN-TV broadcast July 23. He pointed out that the Orioles were already 3-2 at Tampa Bay this year after winning only three games there from 2020-22. (They then won again to improve to 4-2 in 2023.)A team official said Monday night that the Orioles don’t comment on personnel matters but were looking forward to having Brown back s...

92-year-old man arrested after sexual assault in Dundas West and Bloor area

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

A 92-year-old man has been arrested and charged following a sexual assault in the Dundas Street West and Bloor Street West area.On June 25 at approximately 1:30 p.m., police responded to a call for a sexual assault, where the accused allegedly would call victims onto his front porch, start a conversation with the victims, expose himself to the victims and then hug the victims and sexually assault them.Walter Ross, 92, of Toronto, was arrested on Aug. 3 and charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of indecent acts, failure to comply eith undertaking and criminal harassment.He is scheduled to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice on Oct. 6.

Northbrook police search for carjacking suspect

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- The Northbrook Police Department is asking for the public's help identifying a carjacking suspect.According to the Northbrook Police Department, officers responded to the 900 block of Willow Road around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 6.The victim told Northbrook PD that a black male in his teens stated he had a weapon and demanded her vehicle. The victim also said that the car window was left open which is believed to be how the suspect gained entry into the vehicle.The victim surrendered her keys to the suspect and was not injured. Southwest suburban travel agent charged with identity and felony theft after alleged travel scams The suspect fled the area in the stolen car at a high rate of speed before being located by the Chicago Police Department a short time later. The suspect attempted to evade CPD and ultimately crashed the vehicle on the 7100 block of South Wentworth Avenue on Chicago's South Side.The suspect fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction.An...

Elon Musk says he might need surgery before proposed 'cage match' with Mark Zuckerberg

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk says he may need to get surgery before a proposed “cage match” with Mark Zuckerberg.The two tech billionaires seemingly agreed to an in-person face-off in late June. It's unclear if a physical fight will actually end up happening, but Musk and Zuckerberg have continued to fuel interest in the potential match through online jabs at one another — most recently on Sunday, when Musk said the fight would be live-streamed on his social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.Musk added that the fight's proceeds would go to a charity for veterans. On his Threads social media account, Zuckerberg responded: “Shouldn’t we use a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity?" In a follow-up post, the CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta said he wasn't “holding his breath” for a fight.“I’m ready today. I suggested Aug 26 when he first challenged, but he hasn’t confirmed," wrote Zuckerberg, who is actually trained in mixed martial...

APD to stop using less lethal shotguns 'effective immediately,' per internal memo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- According to a memo sent to department members by the APD chief of staff, all sworn personal "will cease the use of less lethal shotguns."The Travis County District Attorney's Office has recently addressed APD about concerns surrounding the devices' "pattern of use and legal implications," according to the email.APD and the District Attorney's Office will continue to discuss the use of, and training on, and policies for less lethal shotguns. KXAN has reached out to both APD and the District Attorney's Office for further comment, and will update this story when we hear back.

To honor hockey coach’s legacy, widow asks for no prison time for man who pleaded guilty to St. Paul manslaughter

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:57 GMT

The widow of a high school hockey coach killed in St. Paul told a judge Monday that honoring his legacy wouldn’t mean sending a man to prison, but holding him accountable in other ways.Mike Ryan, 48, attended a Minnesota Wild game on April 17, 2021, and went to the nearby Herbie’s on the Park afterward. A man he didn’t know, Ryan Whisler, sucker punched him on the side of his face and pushed him down nine stairs outside the bar, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Jennifer Verdeja said in court Monday.Ryan hit his head on concrete and died of a brain injury the next day.Whisler’s attorney, Andrew Birrell, said he regarded what happened as a “great tragedy” during a night of drinking that left Ryan dead and Whisler “drowning in grief and sorrow.” Whisler didn’t intend to kill Ryan or cause him severe harm, Birrell wrote in a court document.Ryan John Whisler (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)Whisler, now 46, pleade...