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After a glacial dam outburst destroyed homes in Alaska, a look at the risks of melting ice masses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — People in Alaska’s capital have lived for more than a decade with periodic glacial dam outbursts like the one that destroyed at least two homes over the weekend. But the most recent flood was surprising for how quickly the water moved as the surging Mendenhall River devoured riverbanks, undermining and damaging homes, and prompted some residents to flee. Here are some issues surrounding glaciers and the floods that result from the bursting of snow-and-ice dams.WHAT CAUSED THE FLOODING IN JUNEAU?The water came from a side basin of the spectacular but receding Mendenhall Glacier that is known as the Suicide Basin. The glacier acts as a dam for precipitation and melt from the nearby Suicide Glacier that collects in the basin during the spring and summer. Eventually the water gushes out from under the Mendenhall Glacier and into Mendenhall Lake, from which it flows down the Mendenhall River.Such glacial dam outbursts have been occurring in the area since 2011...

US vows to keep Syria’s chemical weapons program in UN spotlight over Russian and Chinese opposition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its allies vowed Tuesday to keep Syria’s failure to account for its chemical weapons program in the spotlight at the U.N. Security Council every month despite opposition from Russia and China.U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government “has repeatedly lied to the international community” and to investigators from the international chemical weapons watchdog, which has confirmed that it used these banned weapons on at least nine occasions.She said the Biden administration will continue to demand a full accounting from Syria as it pledged after joining the Chemical Weapons Convention in September 2013, when it was pressed by its close ally Russia following a deadly chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta, which the West blamed on Damascus.For the first time, Russia and China refused to speak at the monthly meeting on the Syria chemical weapons issue, saying they are repe...

3 fishermen plucked from Atlantic waters off Nantucket by Coast Guard helicopter crew

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Three fishermen who were not wearing life jackets were plucked alive from ocean waters by the Coast Guard five miles east of Nantucket off the Cape Cod coast Saturday afternoon.At about 12:48 p.m. the First Coast Guard District command center received an alert from an emergency radio beacon registered to the 55-foot commercial fishing vessel Miss Kara.A Jayhawk helicopter crew based out of Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod and a 47-foot lifeboat crew based out of Coast Guard Station Brandt Point in Nantucket responded. Just after 2 p.m. the Jayhawk crew discovered all three fishermen clinging to a buoy. The three were safely hoisted aboard the helicopter and flown to Hyannis Airport, where they were treated by emergency medical workers.A video released by the Coast Guard show the men being pulled onto the helicopter one by one as it hovered about the Atlantic waters.The emergency beacon was crucial to the rescue, according to Lt. Cmdr. Kristi Butler, search and rescue c...

Woman in critical condition after Wicker Park hit-and-run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

CHICAGO -- The family of a teenager is pleading for witnesses to come forward after a hit-and-run left their loved one in critical condition.17-year-old Nakari Campbell had left her home on Milwaukee Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. on Friday, and was walking to meet a friend to go to a party.Campbell reportedly crossed Division Street heading south on Ashland Avenue when she was hit by someone driving a 2008 red Mercedes Benz C-35.The teen landed on the roof of the car, then rolled off with her hair getting caught in the tire and was then dragged.Her family told WGN she is in critical condition at Stroger in the ICU in a medically induced coma and has already undergone several surgeries and skin grafts.Campbell is an incoming senior at legal prep high school in West Garfield Park. Family members tell us she is a bubbly girl who loves fashion, and hanging out with friends and cousins.Doctors telling them it will be a long road to recovery for her."She is currently suffering from broken...

CDC says new COVID subvariant now the US's dominant strain, picture remains unclear

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

(The Hill) - The COVID-19 omicron subvariant EG.5 is now the most dominant strain in the U.S. according to the latest genomic surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but lax data collection makes it hard to tell what this means for the country.The EG.5 omicron subvariant accounts for 17.3 percent of coronavirus injections in the U.S. according to the CDC data, having jumped by 5 percent in the two weeks when the proportions were last updated.The prevalence of EG.5 is relatively minor at the moment, with the second most prevalent strain XBB.1.16 accounting for 15.6 percent of cases. COVID hospitalizations jump again: Maps show where it’s worst The CDC no longer tracks national COVID-19 case rates, though hospitalization data is still updated regularly. Hospitalizations due to SARS-CoV-2 have risen slightly in the past few weeks suggesting higher levels of transmission, but it remains uncertain if this trend can be attributed to EG.5's recent gro...

Texas man on trip to spread father's ashes dies at Utah national park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

MOAB, Utah (KTVX) -- A 66-year-old man from Texas found dead Aug. 1 in Arches National Park was there to spread his father's ashes, according to his family.James Bernard Hendricks, of Austin, is believed to have died of heat stroke during a hike along the Sand Dune Arch Trail, his sister, Ruth Hendricks Brough, told the San Antonio Express-News.“He was loved by countless people because he was an unusually kind, sweet person who made friends easily," she told the outlet. "Now all these people are grieving. It was a horrible shock."Rangers from the Grand County Sheriff's Office went looking for Hendricks after he was reported overdue to return from his hike and found his car in the parking lot. Hendricks' body was found off-trail nearby, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.The quart water bottle that Hendricks brought with him was empty, Brough said, adding that rangers believe he died from a mix of heat, high altitude and dehydration. Experts warn about ‘bed ...

MedWatch Daily Digest: The key to better sleep may be time — and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

For Tuesday, Aug. 8, WGN’s Dina Bair has new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch How to improve sleep as a college studentTime management during awake hours may contribute to better sleep, according to a new study.University of Alabama environmental scientists sought to figure out why college students experience such poor sleep, as lack of sleep can have both mental and physical impacts. Researchers found that organization, scheduling and overall time management enhanced sleep health. Students who slept better had fewer bouts of anxiety and stress. Overweight brainAll brains are not the same. Cambridge scientists reveal the hypothalamus, a key region of the brain involved with controlling appetite, is different in the brains of people who are overweight and obese compared to those who are a healthy weight. About 2/3 of adults are overweight. That number increases the threat of many health problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer....

Brush fire near Cedar Park apartment complex forces some to evacuate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Some residents at a Cedar Park apartment complex were forced to evacuate with a large brush fire close to the property, Cedar Park police said. Police said crews are responding to the fire near 12820 West Parmer Lane. That address is connected with the Bexley at Silverardo apartment complex.Police are asking people to avoid the area, if possible.This developing story will be updated with more information.

Evacuations lifted after small wildfire near I-35 in Kyle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Hays County Wildland Task Force responded to a wildfire in the 290 block of Roland Lane in Kyle Tuesday, according to the Hays County Office of Emergency Services website. That's near I-35. Officials with Hays County OES said evacuations were lifted shortly after 4 p.m. The fire was estimated to be 25 acres and was nearly contained at that point. Officials responded to the fire at approximately 3 p.m. It was not immediately clear how the fire started, but a spokesperson for the Kyle Fire Department said it may have been started from the road. Hays County OES used air support from Travis County's Star Flight, and asked people not to attempt to operate drones/unmanned aerial systems while they fought the fire.

Partnership between local universities adds more housing for Huston-Tillotson students

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new partnership between two Austin universities will help add student housing for about 150 students.Huston-Tillotson University has seen an increase in enrollment over the years and needs more student housing. New partnership expands student housing for Huston-Tillotson students at St. Edward’s University "We are pushing our limits here," Huston-Tillotson Vice President of Student Affairs Jonas Vanderbilt said.Huston-Tillotson University students will have an opportunity to have student housing starting this fall at the St. Edward's University campus."There are a lot of great things we are doing here and I believe that is translating and getting students to come," Vanderbilt said.In 2021, Huston-Tillotson had 1,003 students enrolled and this year they are projecting 1,080, but with more students that means fewer beds."Huston-Tillotson needed student housing and their president Dr. [Melva] Williams and our president Dr. [Montserrat] Fuentes often collaborate and ...