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Amid row over ‘drought berries,’ German lawmakers cancel trip to southern Spain

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A German parliamentary delegation canceled plans Monday for a visit to fruit farms in a drought-hit region of southern Spain, after a campaign in Germany to discourage consumers from buying “drought berries” sparked political controversy.The cross-party visit by nine German lawmakers this week was meant to include a stop in the Doñana national park in Andalusia, home to some of Europe’s most important wetlands. The conservative regional government of Andalusia, which is experiencing its worst drought in nearly three decades, wants to expand water extraction rights in the wetlands.Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has made the matter an issue in the campaign ahead of elections next month.The German parliament’s environmental committee said that “in view of the high political importance that the topics of the trip have gained in recent days in the upcoming Spanish national elections, (the committee) has decided to refrain from its long-planned trip to ...

Sonic boom heard over Washington is a rare sound with a rich history

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — People living in and around the nation’s capital on Sunday experienced a rare, if startling, sound: A sonic boom. The boom was heard after U.S. military dispatched a fighter jet to intercept an unresponsive business plane flying over restricted airspace. The Air Force gave the F-16 permission to fly faster than the speed of sound — something civilian aircraft rarely get to do — as the jet scrambled to catch up with the Cessna Citation. The result was a thunderous rumble that resonated across a metropolitan area that’s home to more than six million people.Below is an explanation of what sonic booms are and their history in the U.S. WHAT IS A SONIC BOOM? Sonic booms are thunderous-like noises that are heard on the ground when airplanes overhead fly faster than the speed of sound. That speed is typically about 760 mph near sea level, but can vary depending on the temperature, altitude and other conditions, according to the Congressional Research Service....

New Hampshire Gov. Sununu rules out 2024 presidential bid, warns that crowded GOP field helps Trump

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Monday that he will not seek the presidency in 2024, arguing that Republican candidates with “no path to victory must have the courage to get out” of their party’s increasingly crowded primary to stop former President Donald Trump. The 48-year-old governor, who has emerged as a frequent Trump critic, made the announcement on CNN and followed up with a social media post and an op-ed in the Washington Post. “I will not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024,” Sununu tweeted. “The stakes are too high for a crowded field to hand the nomination to a candidate who earns just 35 percent of the vote, and I will help to ensure this does not happen.”Sununu was among a small group of Republican officials still openly contemplating a presidential bid. Even with his decision, the 2024 GOP White House field will be large. Earlier Monday, former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork declaring his campaign for president. He joined a field...

Plane destroyed after flying over DC, crashing in rural Virginia, leaving 4 dead

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators trudged through rugged terrain Monday in search of wreckage from a business jet to solve the mystery of why the plane veered off course and slammed into a mountain, killing four people.A day after the plane flew over the nation’s capital, prompting the military to scramble fighter jets, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a brief update that the pilot and three passengers were killed and that the plane was “destroyed” in the crash. Their identities weren’t immediately released.NTSB investigator Adam Gerhardt told reporters it will take investigators a while to reach the remote crash scene about two to three miles north of Montebello. They expect to be on the scene for at least three to four days. NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said that the investigators had to hike to the site on foot because of the mountainous terrain.Attention on the crash and its cause was heightened by its unusual flight path over Washington, D.C. a...

Death toll rises to 42 as Haiti struggles to recover from floods

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The death toll from the heavy floods that hit Haiti over the weekend has risen to 42, with another 11 people missing, authorities said Monday.At least 85 people are injured, and more than 13,600 homes were flooded, forcing people to evacuate, according to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency.The rains pelted Haiti’s western, northwestern, southeastern and central regions, officials said.The weather has since improved, but many crops were damaged amid a spike in starvation, and people are trying to find temporary shelters after the rain turned roads into rushing rivers of brown water.The World Food Program said tens of thousands of people have been affected, with the greatest damage reported in Port-au-Prince’s metropolitan area and in Haiti’s western region.“A significant weather-induced event of this level so early in the hurricane season…raises concerns about the ability to provide a sustained response should extreme weather incidents continue to occur,” th...

Missing 12-year-old girl last seen in Oakland, Chicago police say

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police seek the public's help locating a missing 12-year-old girl last seen in Oakland on Sunday. Davina Blackman stands 5-foot-4-inches and weighs 113 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. According to police, the missing teen was last seen in the 4000 block of S. Lake Park. She may be wearing a brown shirt and black jeans. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesDavina may also be in the area of the 4100 block of S. Drexel Blvd, police added.Anyone with information may leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.Tipsters may also call police at (312) 747-8380.

Florida couple kept 5-year-old in cage, forced another child to drink boiling water, deputies say

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

DELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida couple faces dozens of charges for allegedly partaking in "a brutal pattern of child neglect, abuse and torture" against children in their home, detectives said.The Volusia Sheriff's Office said the situation began when Taylor B. Schaefer, 28, called deputies after getting a "gut feeling" that her boyfriend, 32-year-old Shawn M. Stone, was abusing her 5-year-old child.She called 911 after checking surveillance video and confirming the abuse, according to deputies.Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Stone punched, kicked, and beat the child with a mop handle for having an accident.He was initially arrested on a charge of aggravated child abuse, but as detectives investigated the situation, they learned that the abuse was worse than they initially thought. Capitol Police stopped a children’s choir from singing the national anthem. Why? Deputies said the surveillance video showed instances of the 5-year-old victim being beaten and bound with his hands behind hi...

APD officer faces 2nd indictment after 2020 protests; additional officer indicted

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin Police Department officer who was indicted last year in connection with May 2020 racial justice protests has been indicted on a second charge, according to court documents and a release from the officer's defense attorneys. In addition, the identity of another officer who was indicted last week was obtained by KXAN through court documents. Jeffrey Teng was one of 19 officers indicted last year over claims of excessive force during protests in downtown Austin in 2020. He now faces a charge of deadly conduct by discharging a firearm. 19 APD officers indicted accused of harming a total of 10 during May 2020 protests Teng was originally indicted in February 2022 on a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant and placed on administrative leave. Last week, the Austin Police Association announced five more indictments against Austin Police Department officers. Three of the officers already faced indictment, and two new officers were indicted, accord...

Gophers football: Chanhassen end Sam Macy is latest in-state player to commit

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

The Gophers football program received a commitment Monday from Chanhassen defensive end Sam Macy.The 6-foot-4, 220-pound player is a three-star recruit considered the ninth-best prospect in the state of Minnesota in the 2024 class, according to 247sports.“I always grew up wanting to be a Gopher and now that I have my chance, I’m proud to announce that I’m 100% committed to the University of Minnesota!” Macy wrote. “I’m staying home!”Macy, who also plays baseball, had other scholarship offers from Army, Navy, Air Force, North Dakota and South Dakota. He had interest from Kansas, Northwestern, Iowa State, Northern Illinois, North Dakota State and more.The Gophers have received commitments from seven of the top nine recruits in Minnesota for next year’s class. Rogers defensive end Wyatt Gilmore, the top in-state prospect,  and third-ranked Irondale offensive lineman Emerson Mandell have not yet committed. They both have Gopher scholarship offers.The Gophers currently have 15 pledges fo...

Comedian Matt Rife to perform in Schenectady

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:32 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Comedian, actor, and TikTok star Matt Rife is coming to Proctors Theatre for his "ProbleMATTic World Tour." The show is set for January 31, 2024, at 7 p.m. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Rife has over 13 million followers on TikTok with over 2 billion views globally. He made his television debut on MTV’s "Wild 'N Out," and has been in 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Fresh Off The Boat," and "Bring The Funny."In 2021, Rife self-produced and distributed through YouTube his first one-hour comedy special, "Only Fans." He self-released his second stand-up special, "Matthew Steven Rife" on YouTube in April. Country singer Lee Brice coming to the Palace Theatre Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. According to Proctors, there is a limit of four tickets per person. You can buy tickets on the Proctors website.