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Key West deputy rescues runaway tortoise, reunites her with owners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

In a bizarre turn of events, a leisurely stroll by an African-spurred tortoise turned into a police chase on Thursday. The slow-moving reptile, named Nina, decided to take a walk around the block in Key West but didn’t get very far before being apprehended by a deputy from the local sheriff’s office.According to the officer, she didn’t get very far. The deputy was able to locate Nina’s owners, who lived just down the street from where she was found. The relieved owners were reunited with their beloved pet, who had apparently escaped from their backyard earlier in the day.As for Nina, it seems that her short-lived adventure has come to an end.

6 injured when HVAC equipment collapsed into resort pool in Aurora, Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

(CNN) — Six people were injured Saturday morning when heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment collapsed inside the indoor pool area of a Colorado resort, according to Aurora Fire Rescue.Two of those hurt suffered life-threatening injuries, the department said in a news release, which did not detail the nature of the injuries. All six victims were taken to hospitals.Authorities received multiple calls around 10 a.m. about the HVAC system collapse “inside the pool area at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center,” the news release said.Several units were sent to the scene, including the department’s Technical Rescue Team, “whose members specialize in collapsed structures” and ensured other firefighters had a safe environment to work in, the release said, adding, “There were still hazards present with the threat of ongoing falling debris and mechanical systems.”Between 50 and 100 guests were estimated to be inside the ...

Reparations task force votes to approve recommendations for the payments of reparations to Black Californians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

(CNN) — A panel in California created to consider reparations for Black residents voted over the weekend to approve recommendations for the payments of reparations to Black Californians for injustices and discrimination stemming from slavery.Saturday’s meeting in Oakland was the 15th public meeting of the Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans, according to Kamilah Moore, chair of the panel.The recommendations will be presented at the task force’s next meeting before being presented to the Legislature by the deadline of July 1. The recommendations outline restitution, which, if approved, could cost the state billions of dollars.Among the possible estimates of reparations for Black Californians recommended by the task force are:Estimated value of payment for health care disparities: $13,619 for each year of residency, based on 71-year life expectancy.Estimated payment for housing discrimination: ...

Closing arguments set for Monday morning in E. Jean Carroll civil rape trial against Donald Trump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

(CNN) — Attorneys for E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump are set to give closing arguments Monday morning in the battery and defamation trial against the former president in Manhattan federal court.Carroll, a former magazine columnist, alleges Trump raped her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store in the spring of 1996 and then defamed her when he denied her claim, said she wasn’t his type and suggested she made up the story to boost sales of her book. Trump has denied all wrongdoing.Attorneys for Carroll and Trump rested their respective cases last Thursday. Carroll’s legal team put on 11 witnesses in her case including the writer herself over seven trial days. Trump did not put on a defense and ultimately opted not to testify.District Judge Lewis Kaplan gave Trump a window to change his mind about testifying over the weekend, giving him a Sunday evening deadline to petition the court to reopen Trump’s defense case for...

Jennifer Coolidge shows support for writers’ strike in MTV Movie & TV Awards acceptance speech

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

(CNN) — Jennifer Coolidge loves two things: popcorn and screenwriters.Coolidge made this clear in a pre-recorded speech shown during Sunday’s MTV Movie & TV Awards broadcast, where the “White Lotus” star accepted a special Comedic Genius award.After commenting on the irony that the golden popcorn statuette is that of her favorite food (she was later seen snacking on some real popcorn while accepting another award for best frightened performance), Coolidge showed some love to the members of the Writers Guild of America, who are currently on strike.“Almost all great comedy starts with great writers and I just think that as a proud member of SAG (the Screen Actors Guild), I stand here before you tonight side by side with my sisters and brothers from the WGA that are fighting right now, fighting for the rights of artists everywhere,” Coolidge said.She went to quote William Shakespeare, saying, “the play is the t...

Dancing royals, ‘The Muppets’ and Tom Cruise: The best moments from the coronation concert

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

(CNN) — It was a royal night to remember: A magnificent coronation concert staged in the grounds of Windsor Castle, capping a day of street parties and community lunch events across the UK on Sunday in celebration of King Charles III.A huge roar erupted from the flag-waving 20,000-strong crowd as the newly-crowned King and Queen took their seats in the royal box to watch a star-studded ensemble.It was an enthusiastically patriotic display that will go down as a highlight of the bank holiday weekend of celebrations in honor of “the artist formerly known as Prince,” as host and “Downton Abbey” star Hugh Bonneville quipped.The glorious line-up was certainly fit for a King – complete with global superstars, classical music maestros and performers from around the Commonwealth – delighting a buzzing audience from a fabulous Union Jack flag-shaped stage.Here’s a look back at all the best bits:Prince William’s tribute to h...

Biden trails Trump as his approval rating hits low in ABC poll

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

President Joe Biden’s approval slid to a career low in the latest opinion poll for ABC News and the Washington Post that also showed the US leader lagging predecessor Donald Trump in early voter preferences for the 2024 election.The percentage of those approving of Biden’s performance fell to 36%, six points lower than in February and a point off his previous low in early 2022, according to the survey conducted for the news organizations by Langer Research Associates. Some 56% disapproved of his performance, while 68% regarded Biden, at 80, as too old for another term.On the question of whom voters prefer for 2024, only 44% viewed Trump, 76, as too advanced in years. Participants also rated Trump’s physical health and mental acuity higher, and perceived the former president as having done a better job handling the economy when he was president than Biden has done in his term so far.When asked who they’d support in 2024, 44% said they would “definitely” or “probably” vote for Trump, ...

Sudan doctors: At least 100 killed in Darfur clashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Clashes that erupted last month between armed fighters in a city in Sudan’s restive Darfur region killed at least 100 people, according to Sudan’s Doctors Syndicate.Hospitals were still out of service in the Darfur city of Genena and an accurate count of the wounded was still hard to make, the doctors’ union added in a statement posted on its official Facebook page late Sunday.The fighting in Genena, which broke out a few days after Sudan’s two rival generals took up arms against each other in the capital of Khartoum, pointed to the possibility that the conflict could engulf other parts of the East African country. The doctors’ union did not specify the two parties to the clashes in Genena, a city of around half a million people located near the border with Chad that has been a flashpoint since the early days of the fighting. Late last month, residents described how armed fighters, many wearing the uniform of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary, rampaged through...

Russia bans jet skis, ride-hailing ahead of WWII tributes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia enacted a major security clampdown ahead of Tuesday’s annual commemorations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, curbing the use of drones, jet skis and car-sharing services in its largest cities amid its 14-month war with Ukraine.At least 21 Russian cities canceled May 9 military parades — the staple of Victory Day celebrations across Russia — for the first time in years, Russian media said. Regional officials blamed unspecified “security concerns” or vaguely referred to “the current situation” for the restrictions and cancellations. It was not clear whether their decisions were taken in coordination with the Kremlin.Last week, Russia — which hasn’t witnessed the carnage endured by Ukraine during the invasion — was rattled by ambiguous official reports that two Ukrainian drones flew into the heart of Moscow under the cover of darkness and reached the Kremlin before being shot down. Media and local officials have blamed other sporadic...

Mother’s Day gift guide: Wheels, books, tech and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — From just the right book to just the right wheels, there are lots of ways to please all the mothers in your life when their special holiday rolls around. Some ideas:TECHNOLOGYGive the gift of a heartbeat. Bond Heart is a smart necklace in the shape of a heart that allows the wearer to record heart beats and play them back in pulses felt when the bauble is grasped. From a company called Bond Touch, the $99 necklace pairs with iOS and Android phones via Bluetooth. Instructions on how to record heartbeats using the pulse from a finger are included. An app stores multiple heartbeats for playback in the heart.Reach for a digital camera. There’s one that’s great for beginners if mom isn’t a pro but would like to be pro-like. It’s the Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera for $799.99. It’s light, compact, and reviewers rave about how easy it is to use. Comes in black or white. Turn it on and begin. The A+ mode does the rest.Have at it on pricier options. But in the under $1,000 r...