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‘Superfog’ near New Orleans blamed for highway crashes that killed at least 7

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — At least seven people were killed Monday after a “superfog” of smoke from marsh fires and dense morning fog caused a series of wrecks on Interstate 55 near New Orleans that left a long stretch of mangled and scorched cars, trucks and tractor-trailers.An estimated 158 vehicles were involved and 25 people injured, according to the Louisiana State Police, who warned the death toll could climb as first responders worked into the night looking for victims, the smell of burnt wreckage still heavy in the air. Vehicles were crushed, piled atop each other and engulfed by flames. Some people got out of their vehicles and stood on the side of the road or on the roofs of their cars looking in disbelief at the disaster, while others cried out for help.Clarencia Patterson Reed was driving with her wife and niece and could see people waving their hands for her to stop, but when she did her car was hit from behind and on the side by two other vehicles, she told the The Times-Pica...

Few transplant surgeons are Black. Giving medical students a rare peek at organ donation may help

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — It’s long after midnight when the bustling operating room suddenly falls quiet –- a moment of silence to honor the man lying on the table.This is no ordinary surgery. Detrick Witherspoon died before ever being wheeled in, and now two wide-eyed medical students are about to get a hands-on introduction to organ donation. They’re part of a novel program to encourage more Black and other minority doctors-to-be to get involved in the transplant field, increasing the trust of patients of color.“There are very few transplant surgeons who look like me,” said Dr. James Hildreth, president of Meharry Medical College, which teamed with Tennessee Donor Services for the project — one of several by historically Black colleges and universities to tackle transplant inequity.Fresh off their first year at Meharry, six students spent the summer shadowing the donor agency to learn the complex steps that make transplants possible: finding eligible donors, broaching donation with ...

Vikings outlast 49ers 22-17 with 2 Cousins-Addison TDs and 2 late interceptions by Bynum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kirk Cousins let the ball fly for Jordan Addison earlier than he wanted to in the face of an all-out San Francisco blitz in the closing seconds of the second quarter for Minnesota, bracing for the worst after realizing the pass was underthrown.Addison won the tug-of-war battle this time with 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and spun away for a 60-yard touchdown, and the Vikings finally pulled out a victory after three straight late lapses at home.“I thought it was getting picked,” Cousins said. “I still don’t know how Jordan came away with it.”Cousins connected with Addison for two first-half scores, Camryn Bynum intercepted Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter, and the Vikings held on to beat the 49ers 22-17 on Monday night.“One play here, one play there. We’ve had some tough losses,” said Cousins, who went 35 for 45 for 378 yards and no sacks. “Last year we were fortunate enough to pull them out. We found a way tonight.”Christian McCaffrey scored twice for th...

Brussels terror attack: Two charged in France in connection with killings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

French prosecutors have charged two men in connection to last week’s terror attack in Brussels that left two Swedish football supporters dead.The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office told AFP on Tuesday that two men were charged with “forming a terrorist criminal group” and “complicity in murder linked to a terrorist plot.” The two men, who are still in custody, are thought to be linked to the gunman who killed two Swedish football fans in an Islamist terror attack in Brussels last week. The attacker, a 45-year-old Tunisian man, was shot dead by police following an overnight manhunt.The suspects are part of a group of four people who were detained across several French regions last week for possible connections to the gunman, local French media reported. But only two — both residing in the Paris region — were brought in front of a judge on Monday, while the other suspects were released. The attack has sent shockwaves across Europe and through the Belgian ...

Ukraine and Germany announce first JV defense project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

Presented by ASD By LAURA KAYALI with JOSHUA POSANER, CALEB LARSON, STUART LAU and VERONIKA MELKOZEROVA PRESENTED BY View in your browser or listen to audioSNEAK PEEK— Ukraine and Germany will today announce a new joint-venture defense project between Rheinmetall and Ukroboronprom. — The U.S. plans to sell over $1.5 billion worth of missiles to European countries. — Inside the Tonnerre: Life aboard a French amphibious helicopter carrier.Good morning, and welcome to Morning Defense. Tips to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] or follow us at @joshposaner, @LauKaya and @calebmlarson.DRIVING THE DAYFIRST GERMAN-UKRAINIAN JOINT DEFENSE VENTURE: Oleksander Kamyshin, Ukraine’s minister of strategic industries, tells Josh and Caleb that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will today announce the formation of a new joint-venture defense ...

Live updates | Israel escalates its bombardment in the Gaza Strip

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

Israel is escalating its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants. The war is rapidly raising the death toll in Gaza, and the U.S. fears could the fighting could spark a wider conflict in the region.Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water and medicine since Israel sealed off the territory following the Hamas attack on Israeli towns Oct. 7. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed, and the U.N. said distribution will have to stop if there’s no fuel for the trucks.The war, in its 18th day Tuesday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Health Ministry said at least 5,087 Palestinians have been killed and 15,270 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas...

Two ships have collided off the coast of Germany and several people are missing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Two cargo ships collided in the North Sea off the German coast on Tuesday and several people were missing, German authorities said.The ships, Polesie and Verity, collided in the early morning about 22 kilometers (14 miles) southwest of the island of Helgoland, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.One of the ships, the British-flagged Verity, apparently sank. The emergency command said one person was rescued from the water and was being given medical treatment, and rescuers were searching for several more people who were missing. It said the ship was headed from Bremen, Germany, to the English port of Immingham.The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie, remained afloat with 22 people on board. The Associated Press

Israel increases strikes on Gaza, as two more hostages are freed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel escalated its bombardment of targets in the Gaza Strip, the military said Tuesday, ahead of an expected ground invasion against Hamas militants that the U.S. fears could spark a wider conflict in the region, including attacks on American troops.The stepped-up attacks, and the rapidly rising death toll in Gaza, came as Hamas released two elderly Israeli women who were among the hundreds of hostages it captured during its devastating Oct. 7 attack on towns in southern Israel.Amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in Israel since the war started, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, meeting with the families of others held hostage in Gaza before heading to talks with top Israeli officials.Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water and medicine since Israel sealed off the territory following the attack. A third small aid convoy entered Gaza on Monday carrying only a tiny fraction of the cargo aid groups say is...

Washington state senator Jeff Wilson arrested in Hong Kong for gun possession and granted bail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — A Washington state senator was arrested in Hong Kong for carrying a gun that was not registered in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, his website and local media reported. He was released on bail on Monday.Jeff Wilson, a Republican from Longview, was arrested after landing at the Hong Kong International Airport on Saturday. Wilson was traveling with his wife for a five-week vacation in Southeast Asia, his website said. His gun was not registered in the financial hub but is registered in Washington, the statement added. According to Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK, Wilson appeared in court Monday to face the charge of possession of arms without a license and was granted bail. “It was an honest mistake, and I expect the situation to be resolved shortly,” he was quoted as saying on his website. It said Wilson’s next hearing is due on Oct. 30. After Monday’s hearing at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts, Wilson had to surrender his travel documents, the local...

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly rise after US stocks wobble as Treasury bond yields veer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:27:52 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Shares mostly rose Tuesday in Asia after Wall Street wobbled to a mixed close as yields on U.S. Treasury bonds fell back after creeping above 5%. Benchmarks rose in Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Shanghai and Taiwan, but fell in Hong Kong. Rapidly rising yields in the bond market that have been pressuring stock prices since the summer seemed set to climb further after the 10-year Treasury briefly topped 5.02% to touch its highest level since 2007. The S&P 500 quickly slumped 0.8%, but the 10-year yield eventually eased back to 4.84%, down from 4.91% late Friday, as oil prices tumbled to take some pressure off inflation and relax the vise on the stock market. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 added 0.2% in afternoon trading to 31,062.35. Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.2% to 6,856.90. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.1% to 2,383.51. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.8% to 17,033.00, while the Shanghai Composite advanced 0.8% to 2,963.70. Taiwan’s Taiex was ...