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Group of migrants intercepted off Hollywood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

Authorities stopped a group of migrants off the coast of South Florida.The group of about 10 migrants was transferred to a ‘U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat off Hollywood, Wednesday afternoon.A Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue boat brought one of them to shore for medical care.

Plane departing from MIA loses cabin pressure, prompting emergency landing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

There was a scare in the air on board a plane that departed from Miami International Airport. Passengers dealt with the terrifying moments aboard American Airlines flight 329 from Miami to New Orleans, Saturday night. “American 329, descending to 10,000 [feet]. We need to head back to Miami,” said a pilot.Shortly after takeoff, there was a mayday call from the cockpit. “We heed to go to Fort Myers, American 329, descending 10,000,” said the pilot.“What seems to be the issue?” said a controller. “We’re losing pressurization,” the pilot said.The cabin pressure reportedly dropped, which caused panic among the passengers and crew. The plane was roughly 150 miles away from MIA.“Center, American 329, we’d like to go to Miami,” the pilot said. “The weather is better there.”“Roger, cleared to Miami International,” the controller said. “They were experiencing that the plane couldn’t ho...

Officials say fires at Lynn Woods Reservation were intentionally set, seek public’s help as investigation continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

A series of fires that burned roughly 400 acres of the Lynn Woods Reservation in recent days were intentionally set, state and local officials announced Wednesday. In a statement shared by the state Department of Fire Services, officials said at least eight fires had broken out since Friday of last week. After days in the woods battling flames, officials said they’re seeking the public’s help, asking anyone with information on the fires to reach out. “Any fire can present a hazard, but we saw rapid fire growth threatening numerous homes in our community as a result of these fires,” said Lynn Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan. “Firefighters from Lynn and our mutual aid partners worked extraordinarily hard to bring them under control, and we’re extremely fortunate that we had no serious injuries or property damage.”Dry conditions, low humidity and recent warm weather have made conditions ripe for fires, according to experts, also prompting multiple red flag warnings from the N...

Montana becomes 1st state to ban TikTok

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that’s more sweeping than any other state’s attempts to curtail the social media app.The measure is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned.“Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has said it will fight for Montana residents to be able to use the app.Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance, could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on American citizens&n...

Maryland board approves $450 million in improvements to Ravens’ stadium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

Planned improvements to M&T Bank Stadium cleared a formal hurdle Wednesday as a state board approved the Maryland Stadium Authority’s request to issue $450 million in bonds to fund the project. The upgrades should be complete by 2025 or 2026.“It really does underscore the very strong partnership that the state of Maryland has and will continue to have with the Ravens,” Gov. Wes Moore said. “Hopefully, it also means hoisting up a championship in the stadium pretty soon.”Last year, the General Assembly passed a law permitting the stadium authority — which owns M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards — to borrow up to $1.2 billion to improve the two venues ($600 million each), provided the teams signed long-term leases. The bonds will be paid back later with lottery funds.The Ravens are able to access the public money because the team signed a lease earlier this year, extending its formal commitment to Maryland by 10 seasons. T...

Montana becomes 1st state to enact ban on TikTok; law likely to be challenged

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

By AMY BETH HANSON and HALELUYA HADERO (Associated Press)HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that’s more sweeping than any other state’s attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company. The measure, which is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, is expected to be challenged legally and will serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned. “Today, Montana takes the most decisive action of any state to protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party,” Gianforte said in a statement.TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter argued that the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights and is unlawful. She declined to say whether the company will file a lawsuit.&#...

Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen kills bird with warm-up toss, draws comparisons to Randy Johnson

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen killed a bird with a curveball while warming up before a game Wednesday.Gallen, 27, was tossing in the outfield of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before a game against the Oakland A’s when the bird flew into the ball’s path.The bird appeared to die on impact, while the ball skipped away from its intended target.The collision immediately drew comparisons to Hall of Famer and former Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. During a 2001 spring training game, Johnson vaporized a bird with a fastball.Johnson went on to win the National League Cy Young Award that year, his third of four consecutive crowns as the league’s best pitcher. The Diamondbacks also won the World Series at the end of the season.Though Gallen doesn’t quite have Johnson’s pedigree, he did finish fifth in NL Cy Young voting last year and entered Wednesday leading the National League in wins and strikeout-to-walk ratio.Gallen did not pitch ...

‘Taco Tuesday’ trademark tiff flares anew  

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Declaring a mission to liberate “Taco Tuesday” for all, Taco Bell is asking U.S. regulators to force Wyoming-based Taco John’s to abandon its longstanding claim to the trademark.Too many businesses and others refer to “Taco Tuesday” for Taco John’s to be able to have exclusive rights to the phrase, Taco Bell asserts in a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filing that is, of course, dated Tuesday.It’s the latest development in a long-running beef over “Taco Tuesday” that even included NBA star LeBron James making an unsuccessful attempt to claim the trademark in 2019.“Taco Bell believes ‘Taco Tuesday’ is critical to everyone’s Tuesday. To deprive anyone of saying ‘Taco Tuesday’ — be it Taco Bell or anyone who provides tacos to the world — is like depriving the world of sunshine itself,” the Taco Bell filing reads.A key question is whether “Taco Tuesday” over the ...

Yankees pitcher Germán suspended 10 games by MLB for using foreign substance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán was suspended for 10 games Wednesday by Major League Baseball and fined for violating the sport’s prohibition of foreign substances on the mound.The penalty was announced following Germán’s ejection in the fourth inning Tuesday night at Toronto for what an umpire said was “the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt.”“My fingers had a hard time coming off his palm,” crew chief James Hoye explained after the game.The punishment was imposed by Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations. Germán did not appeal, and his penalty began with Wednesday night’s game in Toronto. Germán had retired his first nine batters Tuesday night. He denied Hoye’s assertion, saying he didn’t have anything on his hand other than rosin.“It was definitely just the rosin bag,” Germán said through a translator. “It was sweat and the rosin bag. I don’t need any extra help to grab the baseball.”Germán’s ejection was the fourth since ...

US judge in Texas dismisses charges against Swiss banker allegedly tied to Venezuela bribery scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Houston has dismissed criminal charges against a Swiss banker accused of helping stash millions in bribes paid to senior Venezuelan oil officials over long delays in bringing the case to trial.Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled Wednesday that unjustified trial delays violated Paulo Murta’s constitutional right to a speedy trial within 70 days of being charged.Murta was indicted in 2019 on money laundering charges as part of a sprawling multi-year investigation into corruption at Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PDVSA. He was extradited to the United States by his native Portugal after a lengthy legal fight and spent nine months in pre-trial detention before being released last year on $75,000 bond.Prosecutors asked Hoyt to stay his order for at least seven days while they file an appeal with the 5th U.S. Circuit of Appeals, which oversees federal proceedings in Houston.“Murta is charged for his role in a sprawling foreign bribery and money laundering schem...