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Ecuador earthquake kills at least 4, causes wide damage

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A strong earthquake shook southern Ecuador and northern Peru on Saturday, killing at least four people, trapping others under rubble, and sending rescue teams out into streets littered with debris and fallen power lines.The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a magnitude of about 6.8 that was centered just off the Pacific Coast, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second-largest city.Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso tweeted a message asking residents to remain calm.One victim was a passenger in a vehicle crushed by rubble from a house in the Andean community of Cuenca, according to the Risk Management Secretariat, the South American country’s emergency response agency.In the coastal state of El Oro, three people died and several were trapped under rubble, the agency reported. In the community of Machala, a two-story home collapsed before people could evacuate, a pier gave way and a building’s walls cracked...

Bruins look like their old selves in 5-2 win over Wild

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

After baby-stepping their way back to their identity with their victory in Winnipeg on Thursday, the Bruins took a giant step on Saturday.Facing a Minnesota Wild team that had not lost in regulation in 14 games and was a point out of first place in the Central Division, the B’s were the better team in an entertaining, playoff-favored contest, taking a 5-2 win at Xcel Energy Center.Linus Ullmark, shaking off a rare so-so game in Chicago on Tuesday, was back to his standard, making 29 saves.There were no passengers in the B’s victory, including their video coaches, who challenged two Wild goals for offsides and were successful on both.The B’s took a 3-1 lead into the third and appeared to be in control of the game when Jake DeBrusk took a slashing penalty. Seconds later, Freddie Gaudreau made a nice pass from the corner to Oskar Sundqvist and the former Blue jammed it home at 7:17 to pull Minnesota to within a goal.But the B’s went back to work after that and r...

Mike Lupica: We need to slow the Super Bowl talk if desperate Jets land desperate Aaron Rodgers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

By now, we know all of the reasons why the Jets have to take this big swing with Aaron Rodgers. They’re hoping that he can do for them what Tom Brady did for the Bucs. And what Matthew Stafford did for the Rams. They know he has a lot more left than Peyton Manning did when the Broncos won their first Super Bowl since John Elway, even if Peyton didn’t have a whole lot to do with that by the end.At this point, even people in outer space know why the Jets are doing this, why they have to do it, as they attempt to become something more than a football irrelevancy, not just in the league, but just around here.But the adolescent idea that this is suddenly Super Bowl or bust for this particular Jets team just happens to be bananas, whether Rodgers is here for a year or two or even more than that.Start here, because it’s as good a place to start as any:Since Rodgers played in his one and only Super Bowl 12 years ago, he has gone 0-for-4 in NFC championship games, against S...

Bank failures spur anger in Congress, but no clear response

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks. A look at what lawmakers are saying and planning as the fallout continues from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.Quick legislative fixes unlikelyWhile President Joe Biden called Monday on Congress to strengthen the rules for banks to prevent future failures, lawmakers are divided on whether any legislation is needed.Some congressional leaders are skeptical that a closely divided Congress will act at all.“There’s people who are going to choose bills, but I cannot imagine that, with the hold banks have on Republican members of Congress, that we can pass anything significant,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Republicans say the laws already in place were sufficient to prevent the bank failures, if only regulators had done their job by spotting obvious problems and direc...

It's 'ridiculicious': Popular 'best-burger' joint opens first San Diego location

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- A popular fast-casual burger brand has officially opened the doors to a new location in North County.Known for its customizable burgers, hand-cut fries and hand-spun shakes, MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes has made its debut in Carlsbad. It's the very first location in the San Diego region and the eighth location to open in California.Their ridiculicious, fast-casual “best burger” concept, as described by the brand, is committed to providing the best tasting burger experience possible. Popular Bohemian-style café in Encinitas to re-open due to high demand, community support How is this done? The restaurant says it specializes in the "taste trifecta," which consists of "mouthwatering" made-to-order burgers, hand-cut French fries and real ice cream shakes.MOOYAH celebrates its grand opening of first San Diego area location in Carlsbad. (Photo released by MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes)Guests may need some extra time choosing between the many options on MO...

Mysterious streaks of light seen in the sky over California

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

Mysterious streaks of light were seen in the sky in the Sacramento area Friday night, shocking St. Patrick’s Day revelers who then posted videos on social media of the surprising sight.Jaime Hernandez was behind the King Cong Brewing Company in Sacramento for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration when some among the group noticed the lights. Hernandez quickly began filming. It was over in about 40 seconds, he said Saturday. “Mainly, we were in shock, but amazed that we got to witness it,” Hernandez said in an email. “None of us had ever seen anything like it.”The brewery owner posted Hernandez’s video to Instagram, asking if anyone could solve the mystery.Jonathan McDowell says he can. McDowell is an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. McDowell said Saturday in an interview with The Associated Press that he’s 99.9% confident the streaks of light were from burning space debris.McDowell said that a Japanese communications package that relayed informati...

Conservation agreement protects shoreline in memory of murdered Toronto man

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

A 999-year conservation agreement has been signed to protect a shoreline property in memory of a Toronto man who was murdered in 2007. The Nature Conservancy of Canada announced Saturday that they would be completely protecting the ecologically sensitive lands 40 kilometres northwest of Kingston on Loon Lake. Monte Hummel helped reach the agreement to protect the final piece of private land in a conservation network that spans almost 5,000 acres. The 0.4-hectare piece of land, located at the east end of the lake, is named Glen’s Cove after Glen Davis, a philanthropist who gave more than $20 million to various environmental causes including the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) over four decades. Davis was found beaten and shot to death in the underground garage of the WWF offices in Toronto on May 18, 2007. His godson Marshall Ross, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and is serving a life sentence after admitting he had planned the murder and allegedly hired two hit men.The protect...

Kansas man killed in Germany in World War II identified

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

HILL CITY, Kan. (AP) — The remains of a Kansas man who died during World War II in Germany have been identified and will be returned to his native state for burial later this year. The body of U.S. Army Sgt. Gregory V. Knoll 22, of Hill City. was identified in January but his family was only recently received a full briefing, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Friday. Knoll was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. In November 1944, his battalion was overrun by German forces as they tried to capture Schmidt, Germany, in the Hurtgen Forest. Survivors of the attack withdrew to Kommerscheidt, where Knoll was reported killed in action on Nov. 7, 1944. The American Graves Registration Command conducted several investigations in the Hürtgen area between 1946 and 1950 but were unable to find or identify Knoll’s remains. A DPAA historian later determined one set of unidentified remains recovered at Kommerschedt in April 194...

Florida bill seeks to ban girls' period talk in elementary grades

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Legislation moving in the Florida House would ban discussion of menstrual cycles and other human sexuality topics in elementary grades.The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Stan McClain, would restrict public school instruction on human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases and related topics to grades 6 through 12. McClain confirmed at a recent committee meeting that discussions about menstrual cycles would also be restricted to those grades.“So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in 5th grade or 4th grade, will that prohibit conversations from them since they are in the grade lower than sixth grade?” asked state Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Democrat who taught in public schools and noted that girls as young as 10 can begin having periods.“It would,” McClain responded. Texas school superintendent resigns after 3rd-grader finds his gun in bathroom The GOP-backed legislation cleared the House Education Quality Subcommittee on Wednesday by a 13-5 vo...

Trial over Gwyneth Paltrow's alleged skiing accident to begin next week

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:08:50 GMT

PARK CITY, Utah (KTVX) — A jury trial between a Utah doctor and famed Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow is set to begin on Tuesday, March 21. The eight-day trial will consider allegations from a complaint filed in 2019 alleging Paltrow was involved in a collision with a Utah skier, Dr. Terry Sanderson, while skiing at Deer Valley Resort in February 2016. Mikaela Shiffrin breaks Alpine skiing record for World Cup victories According to the complaint documents, Sanderson was hit by Paltrow while she was skiing on a family vacation on a beginner run at Deer Valley. Sanderson claims Paltrow was "skiing out of control and too fast for her ability." Sanderson's attorneys say their client was injured in the collision, suffering four broken ribs, a brain injury, and other serious injuries. Sanderson further claims that, after the collision, Paltrow and Deer Valley employees, including the ski instructor, left him in the snow with serious injuries and failed to contact emergency responder...