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Photographs capture humpback whale’s Seattle visit, breaching in waters in front of Space Needle

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

Seattle (AP) — Pictures released by a conservation group show a young humpback whale breaching in front of the Space Needle as it visited the waters off Seattle last week, capturing a rare display of wildlife next to a major city.The photos were also used to gauge the general health of the whale and create a serial identification number that will help researchers keep track of the young marine mammal. This young whale, which is estimated to be about two years old, now has the designation of CRC-20899, according to Cascadia Research Collective. The photos were taken by Jeff Hogan, co-coordinator of the Seattle-branch of Soundwatch Boater Education Program. Hogan shadowed the whale for most of its time in the bay to alert other vessels to it. Hogan said the whale looked healthy and watched it breach nearly 30 times.Soundwatch has been operating off the San Juan Islands, where orcas are commonly found, for more than 30 years. The Seattle wing of the program debuted this past August wit...

B.C. community prepares to stickhandle removal of world’s largest hockey stick

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

DUNCAN, B.C. — Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley Regional District wants to know who is willing to take a shot at owning the world’s largest hockey stick.It says the more than 62-metre wooden stick and puck that has been attached to the east side of the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan for the past 35 years needs more than a new tape job.The regional district says the glue structure holding the giant Douglas fir replica stick together has decayed and must be removed to protect public safety.The district says a public survey about the future of the stick found few respondents calling for efforts to repair or replace the prominent landmark, which was originally constructed for Expo 86 in Vancouver.The district says its goal now is to seek expressions of interest from community organizations or individuals looking to make use of a large hockey stick.Tom Duncan, the acting chair of the Cowichan Core Recreation Commission, says in a statement that the stick has been a com...

Four Republicans will be on stage for the fourth presidential debate. Here’s who’s in and who’s out

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The field of candidates onstage for the fourth Republican presidential debate will be the smallest yet.Four hopefuls will participate in Wednesday night’s debate at the Moody Music Hall at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, according to the Republican National Committee.To qualify for the fourth debate, candidates needed at least 6% support in two national polls or 6% in one national poll as well as two polls from four of the early-voting states — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. All the polls used for qualification must have been approved by the RNC.The White House hopefuls also needed at least 80,000 unique donors, with at least 200 of those coming from 20 states or territories. They also had to sign an RNC pledge promising to support the party’s eventual nominee.A look at where the candidates stand:WHO’S IN RON DESANTIS Initially seen as the top rival for Donald Trump, DeSantis has been locked in a battle for ...

Coroner’s inquest into death of Soleiman Faqiri hears from correctional officer

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

A correctional officer who was called in to help restrain a mentally ill man at an Ontario jail told a coroner’s inquest Monday he didn’t know anything about the inmate or the reason for the struggle at the time.Dave Surowiec said he was working in the admissions and discharge area when he responded to a code blue —  a call for assistance — in a cell at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont., on the afternoon of Dec. 15, 2016. After initially being sent on an errand, he was asked to replace one of the officers holding down the inmate, he said.Surowiec said he could see an inmate face down on the floor of the cell, clearly struggling, surrounded by several officers who were urging him to calm down and stop resisting. The inmate’s hands were cuffed above his head, he had leg irons on and a spit hood, a type of face covering to prevent spitting or biting, the officer told the inquest.Surowiec knelt beside the inmate and took control of his r...

Prosecutors push back against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena Trump documents in gun case

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prosecutors pushed back Monday against Hunter Biden’s move to subpoena documents from Donald Trump and former Justice Department officials in the firearms case filed against the president’s son. They argued that Hunter Biden doesn’t have enough evidence to support his claims of potential political interference in the criminal investigation against him and urged a judge to reject the subpoena requests. “His allegations and subpoena requests focus on likely inadmissible, far-reaching, and non-specific categories of documents concerning the actions and motives of individuals who did not make the relevant prosecutorial decision in his case,” prosecutor Leo Wise wrote in court documents. The investigation into Hunter Biden’s taxes and a gun purchase began in 2018, while Trump, a Republican, was still president. But charges weren’t brought until this year, while his father was president, something Wise called an “inconvenient truth” that undercuts the d...

GM’s Cruise robotaxi service faces fine in alleged cover-up of San Francisco accident’s severity

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

California regulators are alleging a San Francisco robotaxi service owned by General Motors covered up the severity of an accident involving one of its driverless cars, raising the specter they may add a fine to the recent suspension of its California license.The potential penalty facing GM’s Cruise service could be around $1.5 million, based on documents filed late last week by the California Public Utilities Commission.The notice orders Cruise to appear at a Feb. 6 evidentiary hearing to determine whether the robotaxi service misled regulators about what happened after one of its driverless cars ran into a pedestrian who had already been struck by another vehicle driven by a human on the evening of Oct. 2 in San Francisco.The February hearing comes just six months after the commission authorized Cruise’s robotaxi service to begin charging passengers for around-the-clock rides throughout San Francisco despite strident objections from city officials who warned the driver...

Fetterman says he sent 'ethically-challenged' Menendez a Cameo video from Santos

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

(The Hill) – Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) on Monday said he sent "ethically challenged" Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) a Cameo video from former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was expelled from Congress last week."I thought my ethically-challenged colleague @BobMenendezNJ could use some encouragement given his substantial legal problems," Fetterman wrote Monday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "So, I approached a seasoned expert on the matter to give ‘Bobby from Jersey’ some advice."Attached to Fetterman's post was the purported Cameo video from Santos, in which the ousted New York Republican said, "Hey Bobby ... look I don't need to tell you but these people that want to make you get in trouble and want to kick you out and make you run away — You make 'em put up or shut up. You stand your ground, sir.""And don't get bogged down by all the haters out there," Santos continued. "Stay strong. Merry Christmas." The Hill reached out to Menendez's office to confirm if the senator received...

Man shot in groin on South Side, drives himself to hospital

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

CHICAGO -- A man was hospitalized Monday afternoon after he was reportedly shot in the groin on the city's South Side.According to the Chicago Police Department, a man was reportedly shot in the groin in the 7100 block of South King Drive in the city's Grand Crossing neighborhood just after 2 p.m. on Monday. Naperville woman charged after fatal shooting at Hilton Hotel in Oakbrook Terrace Police say the man drove himself to a local hospital and remains in good condition.No suspects have been taken into custody and it is currently unclear what led to the shooting. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

Video: Police chase deer through Sam’s Club

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

CORONA, Calif. (WJW) -- A runaway deer caused quite a stir in one California city last week.The Corona Police Department said in an Instagram post that its dispatch center received several calls about a deer running around south Corona Thursday afternoon. American tourist killed in shark attack in Bahamas, police say The animal's escapade included traversing yards, leaping over walls, and even taking a dip in a backyard pool before making an unexpected appearance at a Sam’s Club.(Credit: Corona Police Department via Storyful)Footage captured by the department shows the deer sprinting through the aisles, with police officers hot on its hooves, determined to bring the escapade to an end.The unlikely chase through Sam's Club created a spectacle, drawing the attention of startled shoppers and staff members. Do dogs need to wear jackets during the winter? Dodging shelves, maneuvering around shopping carts, and evading capture, the agile deer showcased an impressive display of athle...

American classic cars take over the streets of Havana in annual rally

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:53:08 GMT

Classic American cars that one would expect to see in museums in the United States raced in the streets of Havana during the annual Classic and Antique Cars Rally.The rally celebrates the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the first motor car to the island.A participating vehicle departs at the starting line during the yearly Old Car Rally of Havana, in Havana, Cuba, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. The rally celebrates the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the first motor car to the island. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco)Classic and antique cars drive during the yearly Old Car Rally of Havana, in Havana, Cuba, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. The rally celebrates the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the first motor car to the island. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco)A participating vehicle departs from Tropicana Cabaret at the start of the yearly Old Car Rally of Havana, in Havana, Cuba, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. The rally celebrates the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the first motor car to the island. (AP...