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Otis’ stunning turn to monster Pacific hurricane kills at least 27 in Acapulco

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

By MARK STEVENSON (Associated Press)ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Otis’ stunning transformation into a monster hurricane killed at least 27 people as it devastated Acapulco, officials said Thursday.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador went by road after the hurricane hit the iconic city on Mexico’s Pacific coast, where at least four people remained missing. He said Otis had toppled every power-line pole in the zone where it hit on Wednesday, leaving much of the city of 1 million without electricity.Otis turned from mild to monster in record time, and scientists are struggling to figure out how — and why they didn’t see it coming. With tens of thousands of residents in damaged homes without power, the toll could rise.“The people sheltered, protected themselves and that’s why fortunately there weren’t more tragedies, loss of human life,” López Obrador said.Acapulco’s municipal water system was down and López Obrador, who made it into Acapulco late Wednesday with many of h...

Arrest warrant issued for Robert Card, suspect in Maine mass shooting as manhunt continues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine — An arrest warrant was issued for a 40-year-old man who is wanted in connection to a mass shooting here Wednesday that left 18 people dead and law enforcement scouring the region in a massive manhunt for a suspect still at-large.Shelter-in-place orders, lockdowns, and school closings were expanding across Maine Thursday as authorities searched for Robert Card, who they say is a suspect in shootings in Lewiston, the second-largest city in the state of 1.3 million people.Lewiston “did not deserve this terrible assault on its citizens, on its peace of mind,” said Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who said she spoke with President Joe Biden and multiple officials from his administration, including U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.“No words can truly or fully measure the grief of Maine people today. Our small state of just 1.3 million people has long been known as one of the safest states in the nation. This attack strikes at the very heart of who ...

More Salmonella cases reported from raw milk in San Diego County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The County of San Diego on Wednesday reported three additional cases of Salmonella illness linked to unpasteurized or “raw” milk or milk products.The total number of local cases has now reached 12, including three people who were hospitalized. The most recent person became ill on Oct. 17 with the cases initiating in late September.It was determined that the contaminated milk was from a producer in Fresno, California, local health officials confirmed. 9 Salmonella cases reported from raw milk in San Diego County The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a recall of the milk as well as heavy cream on Oct. 24, along with a PDF that contains the specific product identification numbers with “best by” dates between Oct. 11 and Nov. 6. Additional raw milk products were not recalled.   Salmonella bacteria is commonly found in human and animal intestines, causing symptoms like bloody or watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, ...

Chris Stapleton to perform at Petco Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

SAN DIEGO --  Country music artist Chris Stapleton is making a stop in San Diego as part of his "All-American Road Show” tour. The singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer will take the stage at Petco Park on Saturday, March 2, 2024. He'll be joined by special guests Turnpike Troubadours and Elle King.Known for songs like "Tennessee Whiskey," "Starting Over" and "You Should Probably Leave," Stapleton will be belting out those country lyrics for an eager crowd in America's Finest City. FivePoint Amphitheatre abruptly closes permanently after Saturday night concert This tour stop announcement comes ahead of Stapleton’s highly anticipated new album "Higher," which is set to be released on Nov. 10. This album was recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A and includes 14 songs.Stapleton has unveiled three album tracks ahead of the release: “It Takes A Woman,” “Think I’m In Love With You” and “White Horse,” of which Billboard praises as “a hell-raising anthem, m...

Manitoba premier to meet with women’s families to talk about landfill search

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s recently elected premier is set to meet with the families of two slain First Nations women whose remains are believed to be in a Winnipeg-area landfill. Wab Kinew is expected to meet with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran in what he calls a first step in resetting the relationship between the families and the provincial government. Before forming government last week, Kinew said a New Democrat government would search the Prairie Green Landfill for the women’s remains but stopped short of providing a funding commitment. Former premier Heather Stefanson and the previous Progressive Conservative government opposed a search of the landfill, citing safety concerns, and highlighted their refusal during the provincial election campaign. Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris and Myran.He also faces the same charges in the deaths of Rebecca Contois, whose partial remains were discovered in a differen...

FACT FOCUS: A baseless claim about Putin’s health came from an unreliable Telegram account

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

An explosive claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin had suffered a heart attack spread across the globe this week, amplified by news outlets and social media users. The news didn’t come from the Kremlin, which dismissed it as a “hoax,” nor verified reporting in Russia. It came from a single anonymous account on the messaging service Telegram that provided no evidence, yet was viewed hundreds of thousands of times.Misinformation researchers warn the account isn’t credible and has spread baseless claims about Putin’s health in the past. But the case highlights the dangers of seeking information on the loosely moderated messaging platform that has surged in popularity amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.Here is a closer look at the facts.CLAIM: Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered a serious heart attack on Sunday and needed to be resuscitated.THE FACTS: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday called the claim “just another hoax,” telling reporters that “everything is fine.”Photos...

NHL suspends Senators forward Shane Pinto 41 games for gambling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto has been suspended 41 games for violating the NHL’s gambling policy.The 22-year-old is the first modern-day NHL player to be suspended for sports wagering. The league announced the half-season ban for “activities relating to sports wagering” Thursday, saying Pinto did not bet on NHL games.A memo sent in March 2022 to all league and club personnel said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is authorized to “discipline individuals determined to have engaged in improper gambling activities in any or all of the following respects: expulsion or suspension a definite or indefinite period; cancelling any contract that such individual may have; and/or by imposing a fine.”“The League will act swiftly and aggressively in penalizing any League or Club personnel determined to have engaged in acts in violation of the NHL Gambling Policy,” the policy states.The exact timeline is unclear at this point, but it’s believed the investigation in...

Prosecutors drop charges against woman who accused Jonathan Majors the day after her arrest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

New York (AP) — Manhattan prosecutors on Thursday dropped all charges against a woman who accused the movie star Jonathan Majors of assault, less than a day after she was arrested by New York City police following his allegation that she initiated the physical confrontation.Grace Jabbari was briefly put under arrest at a New York City police station Wednesday evening and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief. She and Majors, her ex-boyfriend, have accused each other of battery during an argument in a car ride earlier this year. Jabbari was given a court summons and released.By the morning, the case against Jabbari was already over.“The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has officially declined to prosecute the case against Grace Jabbari because it lacks prosecutorial merit. The matter is now closed and sealed,” said Doug Cohen, a press secretary for the prosecutor’s office.Majors, a fast-rising Hollywood star, still faces criminal charges that led to his arr...

Canadian researcher released from Algerian prison after sentence reduced on appeal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

MONTREAL — A Canadian researcher whose criminal conviction in Algeria was criticized by human rights groups has been released from prison after a court reduced his sentence.Raouf Farrah’s lawyer, Kouceila Zerguine, says an appeals court in the eastern Algerian city of Constantine reduced his client’s prison sentence from two years to eight months, and Farrah, who had been detained since February, was released today with time served. He says Farrah’s release is a relief but not a victory and that he is now seeking to have the Algerian Supreme Court review the conviction.Farrah said in a phone interview he’s looking forward to reuniting with his wife, his four-year-old daughter and his parents.The former Montreal resident, who studies migration and criminal economies for an international non-governmental organization, was convicted of publishing secret information and being paid to commit offences against public order.Farrah’s employer, the Global Initiat...

Sheila North announces candidacy for national chief of Assembly of First Nations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:26 GMT

OTTAWA — Sheila North, a former grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, has announced her bid to become the next national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.North is an advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women, a former journalist and a member of Bunibonibee Cree Nation.North says she has the right qualifications, training and people around her to become the next national chief, and she has received an endorsement from Bunibonibee Cree Nation Chief Richard Hart.The election comes after the dramatic ouster of former national chief RoseAnne Archibald, who was voted out after colleagues accused her of creating a toxic work environment — an allegation she continues to deny.David Pratt, who currently serves as a vice-chief with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, was the first to announce his intention to run in the contest scheduled for December.Manitoba regional chief Cindy Woodhouse, the lead Assembly of First Nations negotiator for a landmark child-w...