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Alaska oil plan opponents lose 1st fight over Willow project

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Environmentalists lost the first round of their legal battle over a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope on Monday as a judge rejected their requests to halt immediate construction work related to the Willow project, but they vowed not to give up. The court’s decision means ConocoPhillips Alaska can forge ahead with cold-weather construction work, including mining gravel and using it for a road toward the Willow project. Environmentalists worry that noise from blasting and road construction could affect caribou.U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason said she took into account support for the project by Alaska political leaders — including state lawmakers and Alaska’s bipartisan congressional delegation. She said she also gave “considerable weight” to the support for Willow by an Alaska Native village corporation, an Alaska Native regional corporation and the North Slope Borough, while also recognizing that project support among...

Fungus that causes deadly white nose syndrome among bats detected in B.C. guano

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

GRAND FORKS, B.C. — A fungus that has led to some Canadian bat populations becoming endangered has been found in British Columbia.The province’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says the fungus that causes white nose syndrome, which has no proven treatment, has been detected in bat guano in the Grand Forks area.First discovered in New York state in 2006, white nose syndrome has spread to 38 states and eight provinces and is responsible for three Canadian bat species being listed as “endangered” under the federal Species at Risk Act.The ministry says the fungus is primarily spread by bat-to-bat contact and doesn’t affect humans but can spread through the movement of contaminated clothing and gear, or through accidental transport of the animals.The public is being asked to contact the BC Community Bat Program or the ministry if they know the location of winter bat roosting sites, or if they see dead bats or unusual behaviour like flying during t...

B.C. throat slashing suspect charged with terrorism linked to Islamic State group

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — A suspect accused of slashing a person’s throat on a bus in Surrey, B.C., has been charged with four terrorism-related offences in the attack that left a man with life-threatening injuries.Surrey provincial court documents show that Abdul Aziz Kawam, born in 1995, is accused of four counts of acting “for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a terrorist group, to wit: the Islamic State.”He also faces one count of attempted murder, one count of assault and one count of aggravated assault for slashing the neck of a man with a knife on Saturday.The court documents show that Kawam is accused of assault in a separate case for allegedly attacking another person on that same day. Kawam, who was back in Surrey provincial court Monday, will appear next in court on Wednesday.Metro Vancouver Transit Police say they discovered during their investigation that “the suspect made several concerning comments,” leading investigators t...

Almanac for April 4, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

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WWE pro wrestling legend dies on night of WrestleMania

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

(WKBN) – A tag team pro wrestling legend and member of the WWE Hall of Fame has died, according to multiple reports. Robert "Bushwhacker Butch" Miller was 78. Miller's death came after he was hospitalized following a medical episode at an event during WrestleMania 39 weekend. Miller's niece and the daughter of tag team partner Bushwhacker Luke Williams, Jackie, announced Monday that he had passed away. Seaweed bloom reaches record size: ‘Major beaching events are inevitable’ Over their decadeslong career, the tag team competed for several different companies including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), All Japan Pro Wrestling and Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Canada. Over the course of the 1980s, they were a violent tag team known as "The Sheepherders." During this time, they had rivalries with legends Roddy Piper and Rick Martel. They even wrestled against the father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Rocky Johnson. The Bushwhackers came to the WWE in 1988 as a comedy tag team...

Trump arraignment: What to expect on Tuesday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Former President Donald Trump returned to New York from his Florida estate Monday to face historic booking and arraignment on hush money charges related to allegations of sexual encounters. The nation's largest city bolstered security and warned potential protesters it was “not a playground for your misplaced anger.”Trump's long day started with a motorcade ride from his Mar-a-Lago club to his red, white and blue Boeing 757, emblazoned with his name in gold letters — all carried live on television. The mini-parade took him past supporters waving banners and cheering, decrying the case against him that stems from payments made during his 2016 campaign as politically motivated.Former President Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in New York, Monday, April 3, 2023. Trump is expected to be booked and arraigned the following day on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)Already months into a third campaign&nb...

13 questions and answers on Trump's indictment

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

A former president of the United States will appear before a court in New York City on Tuesday to be arraigned on criminal charges — a first of its kind event in American history.The arraignment of former President Trump will be a spectacle, as the man leading GOP presidential polls for 2024 visits his former hometown in the midst of a widening primary fight.Trump's indictment is seen by many as providing a boost for his nascent efforts at reelection, with Republican allies and foes starkly criticizing what they've labeled as a politically-motivated prosecution. A grand jury in New York voted to indict Trump in connection with his alleged role in hush money paid amid his 2016 presidential campaign to adult film star Stormy Daniels to silence her allegations of an affair, which Trump denies. There are a number of unanswered questions related to the matter, with Trump expected to surrender to prosecutors in Manhattan on still-unknown charges.Here are some of the biggest questions, an...

Southeastern Minnesota boy dies after apparent soil collapse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

A 14-year-old boy died after he was rescued in an apparent soil collapse last week, according to Wabasha County Sheriff Rodney Bartsh.Hunter Flaxbeard’s death was ruled an accidental suffocation, Bartsh said.“Hunter was a kind and compassionate young man. He was full of adventure and new ideas,” reads part of his online obituary. “True to his nature, he gave the gift of life to many by being an organ and tissue donor. This is something he would be proud of! Hunter will live on in the hearts of his family and friends, and the donor recipients he never met.”The Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office received a medical call around 5:30 p.m. last Tuesday in the area of Wabasha County Road 84, east of McCarthy Lake State Wildlife Management Area. The caller “stated that a 14-year-old male victim was stuck in a sand hole covered in sand,” Wabasha County Chief Deputy Jim Warren said in a statement.Deputies arrived and performed lifesaving measures. The boy was initially hospitalized in Rochester....

Ramsey County appoints director of Financial Assistance Services amid application backlog

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

Ramsey County on Monday appointed a new director of its Financial Assistance Services department, which oversees the administration of food aid, child care assistance and other need-based programs.Ali M. Ali, who has served as interim director of FAS for the past year, has worked for Ramsey County in several capacities since 2005, including as a financial services worker, supervisor and section manager, according to a news release issued Monday by county officials.Kathy Hedin, deputy county manager for public health and wellness, said in the release that Ali’s “dedication and commitment to improving our services” was on display during his tenure as interim director of FAS.“His deep knowledge of department operations and state and federal rules and policies, and experience engaging internal and external stakeholders make him an excellent choice to continue to lead the change underway at FAS,” she said.Ali assumes the director role on a permanent basis as the departm...

Twins reunite with Luis Arraez in Miami

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:01:54 GMT

MIAMI — Luis Arraez summed up the emotions of seeing — and playing against — his former teammates quite simply.“I’m feeling a lot in my heart right now,” he said.The Twins reunited with Arraez, whom they traded away for starter Pablo López, on Monday in Miami. On Tuesday, with the Twins in town, he will be honored pregame for winning the American League batting title and the Silver Slugger Award.On the last day of the season, Arraez, who was playing through a hamstring injury, sealed his batting title, finishing the season hitting .316 and denying Yankees star Aaron Judge of the Triple Crown.The second baseman, who hit a pair of home runs against the United States in the World Baseball Classic, has picked up right where he left off, entering Monday’s matchup against the Twins with the nine hits. He added his league-leading 10th hit in the fifth inning, singling in a run off Twins starter Tyler Mahle.“He means a lot to us,” said shortstop Carlos Correa, who also said he still talks t...