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Ex-prime minister tells COVID inquiry that UK erred in focusing too much on threat of a flu pandemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain made a mistake in focusing too much on preparations for a flu pandemic rather than considering other types of pandemic in the years before the COVID-19 outbreak, former Prime Minister David Cameron told a public inquiry Monday. Cameron, who led Britain’s Conservative government from 2010 to 2016, was the first politician to be questioned by the wide-ranging inquiry into the U.K.’s preparedness for the coronavirus pandemic, how the government responded and what lessons can be learned for the future.The U.K. had one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in Europe, with the virus recorded as a cause of death for almost 227,000 people.Giving evidence under oath, Cameron said that during his time in office, officials were too narrowly focused on the dangers of an influenza pandemic. Not enough questions were asked about the possibility of an outbreak of other highly infectious respiratory diseases, he said.“So much time was spent on a pandemic influenza an...

Egyptian family awaits word on son as village mourns dozens feared drowned trying to reach Europe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

IBRASH, Egypt (AP) — The last time Sabah Abd Rabu Hussein heard from her son, Yahia Saleh, he was planning to board a migrant vessel from conflict-ridden Libya to Europe. That was two weeks ago. “I had begged him not to go,” the Egyptian housewife said Sunday, “but he had became fed up with our difficult (living) conditions.”The 18-year-old was onboard an old fishing trawler that sailed from the town of Tobruk in eastern Libya on June 9. He was heading to Italy, like many other young men from his village in Egypt’s Nile Delta.There were as many as 750 migrants including women and children on the boat that capsized and sank off Greece in one of deepest parts in the Mediterranean Sea.Only 104 survived. Greek authorities retrieved 78 bodies on June 14 and chances of finding anyone else alive have diminished. The shipwreck appears to be one of the worst tragedies in the Mediterranean in recent history, raising questions and outrage over how European authorities have dealt with the influ...

Man arrested, charged in fatal daylight stabbing near Yonge-Dundas Square

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

Toronto police have charged a man with second-degree murder in the fatal daylight stabbing of another man near Yonge-Dundas Square last month.Just before 2 p.m. on May 12, emergency crews rushed to the scene in front of The Works, a city-run supervised injection and harm reduction facility located at 277 Victoria St. near Yonge-Dundas Square.Paramedics could be seen administering chest compressions to the victim, who was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.Despite life-saving efforts, the victim was later pronounced dead at the hospital.The victim was identified as 40-year-old Richard Sasaki of Toronto.Police said a suspect fled the area on foot, and this person may have been in the area for some time before the altercation.Investigators later identified the male suspect as 29-year-old Danyal Khan of no fixed address.On June 18, police arrested Khan and charged him with second-degree murder. He was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Titanic tourist submarine goes missing off Atlantic coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

A submarine used to give tourists a view of the wreck of the Titanic has reportedly gone missing in the Atlantic Ocean.The Boston Coastguard says a search and rescue operation was launched on Monday to find the watercraft, according to the BBC.Few other details have been made available.Tourists are able to take paid trips in submarines to witness the sunken wreck of the Titanic. It’s unclear what company the submarine belonged to.The British passenger ship sank in 1912 after striking an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people, in one of the deadliest shipwrecks ever.The wreckage sits at the bottom of the ocean approximately 600 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland.This is a developing story. More to come.

Buttigieg says US ‘green corridors’ initiative is key to cutting shipping industry emissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — An American push to establish “green shipping corridors” is key to reducing carbon emissions from the shipping industry, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday while touring the port of Yokohama near Tokyo. Buttigieg was in Japan to attend a meeting over the weekend of transport ministers of the Group of Seven advanced economies, who reaffirmed a commitment to reducing emissions from the transport industry and to keeping navigation free and open in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. is seeking to develop and strengthen partnerships with “like-minded countries” to improve maritime security and keep shipping and aviation corridors open, he told The Associated Press in an interview. Emissions from maritime transport account for about 3% of total global emissions from human activities. Some 40% of Yokohama’s emissions come from its port. About 90% of all traded goods are moved by sea, and maritime trade volumes are expected to triple by 2050...

Woman dead after being found in lake in NW Indiana: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

HOBART, Ind. -- The body of a woman was recovered from Robinson Lake in Lake Country Sunday afternoon. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, police were dispatched to the beach area near the 5200 block of Liverpool Road per a report of two swimmers struggling in the water. Body pulled from Chicago River near Salt Shed identified as missing man Noah Enos Reports said a man was rescued from the water and another victim, a woman, did not resurface the water. Around 3:03 p.m., a law enforcement diver located and recovered the woman who was pronounced dead on the scene. There is no information on the identity of the deceased.

Child inspired by catching a hat at West Point graduation prepares for boot camp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) - It's been a dream of Kathryn Miller's to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point practically her whole life. In 2010, the then-five-year-old child ran onto the field at the West Point graduation ceremony as cadets tossed their caps into the air. As is tradition, the children who catch a hat get to keep it, along with any money or messages left inside."I remember feeling so encouraged, surrounded by the cadets, even at that young age I could see myself - this is something I want to do," Miller told WAVY. Her whole life has been connected to the military. How AI is changing the 2024 election Her Mom and Dad met in the Army. Dad, Col. Jake Miller, graduated West Point and taught there when Kathryn was in preschool."I was three years old telling people that in 2040 I'm running for president," she said.She started running toward her goals early, which isn't easy when the Army moves your family every couple of years. Jamestown High Scho...

The original Twinkie wasn't 'plain,' but a different flavor entirely

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – The Twinkie — one of America’s quintessential junk foods — wasn’t always so junky.It wasn’t health food either, but its original recipe boasted more natural ingredients than the current one, including a somewhat surprising fruit.The inspiration for the Twinkie came about in 1930, when an employee of the Continental Baking Company (the then-owner of the Hostess brand) was seeking a way to boost productivity at a Chicago-area plant. At the time, the company’s signature product was a long sponge cake filled with strawberries and cream, but strawberries — being seasonal — weren’t readily available year-round, meaning some of the bakery’s equipment was going unused for months, Hostess once explained.Bakery manager James Dewar, seeing an opportunity to introduce a new item during less-fruitful times, reportedly turned his attention to the banana, which was plentiful year-round.Dewar oversaw the first batches of the new banana-cream-filled cakes. He called them Twinkies, settli...

Dean’s A-List Interviews: Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson talk 'Asteroid City'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

WGN Entertainment Reporter Dean Richards sits down with stars of "Asteroid City," Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Can drowsy driving be compared to drunk driving?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:56 GMT

(WHTM) -- When driving behind the wheel of a car, sometimes you can get pretty relaxed -- to the point of closing your eyes. This is especially true if you haven't gotten enough sleep. Driving without sleep is dangerous, but does it compare to driving drunk? In 2017, drowsy driving was the reason behind at least 91,000 car crashes, 50,000 injuries and 795 deaths, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. That's compared with 9,949 fatal alcohol-related crashes during the same time. While not exactly the same, drowsy driving and drunk driving have similarities, including a decrease in reaction time, according to Sleepfoundation.org.After being awake for 18 hours, reaction time, multi-tasking and hand-eye coordination are comparable to someone who has a blood alcohol content of .05%, which increases to .08% after being awake for 20 hours. After 24 hours of sleeplessness, impairment jumps to being comparable to having a blood alcohol content of 0.1%. The lega...