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Mexico: Migrants lit mattresses in protest; fire killed 39

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Migrants fearing deportation set mattresses ablaze at an immigration detention center in northern Mexico, starting a fire that left 39 dead, the president said Tuesday following one of the the deadliest incidents ever at an immigration lockup in the country.Hours after the fire broke out late Monday, rows of bodies were laid out under shimmery silver sheets outside the facility in Ciudad Juarez, which is across from El Paso, Texas, and a major crossing point for migrants. Ambulances, firefighters and vans from the morgue swarmed the scene.Thirty-nine people died and 29 were injured and are in “delicate-serious” condition, according to the National Immigration Institute. There were 68 men from Central and South America held in the facility at the time of the fire, the agency said. A Guatemalan official said many may have been from that Central American country.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the fire was started by migrants inside the facility in protest...

Florida sheriff confronts man accused of threatening his life

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

ORLANDO SANFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Fla. (WSVN) — Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood had a tense face-to-face encounter with Richard Golden, a New Jersey man accused of making death threats against him in an antisemitic group chat. The accused was flown to Orlando to face charges and the sheriff wanted to meet him in person.“I wanted him to look in my eye and say, ‘You’re the guy I wanna put a bullet in your head,'” said Chitwood. The sheriff is known for his strong stance against hate crimes and extremism.Golden, 38, is accused of making threats against Chitwood’s life and preaching messages of hate in a group chat. “They’re preaching all this stuff about wiping out a race, wiping out a religion. We’re not going to stand for it,” said Chitwood.On Monday, Golden was flown from New Jersey to Orlando to face charges, with the sheriff waiting to meet him. However, Golden passed Chitwood without a word. “He walked ri...

Rescued dolphin thrives year after arriving in Florida Keys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

MARATHON, Fla. (AP) — A rescued juvenile dolphin that was airlifted from Texas to the Florida Keys about one year ago is thriving and interacting with other dolphins at a Keys-based marine mammal facility, officials said Monday.The orphaned male calf dubbed Ranger was discovered in June 2021. He was stranded near Goose Island State Park and suffering from a respiratory infection and dehydration. Rescued near his dead mother, the young bottlenose dolphin was deemed too young to forage and survive in the wild.The National Marine Fisheries Service chose the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key, Florida, as Ranger’s permanent home after he was temporarily cared for at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi.“Dolphins are very social; they live in a family, they depend on that family even to learn how to catch fish,” said Linda Erb, the Dolphin Research Center’s vice president of animal care and training. “Without a mom, without a family, this little guy would have starved — he would...

Tractor-trailer overturns on I-75 near US-27 intersection causing road closures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

An overturned tractor-trailer on the intersection of the southbound lanes of US-27 and Interstate 75 has caused major traffic disruptions in the area. The incident occurred Tuesday morning when the vehicle, which appeared to be heading eastbound to go south on US-27, lost control and overturned due to a load shift.Weston Fire Rescue responded to the scene and treated two people in the cab of the semi-truck. Meanwhile, the local police department called for a HAZMAT crew to help contain the contents of the vehicle. The nature of the materials contained inside the truck is unknown and authorities are urging drivers to avoid the area until further notice.7SkyForce showed the traffic from above on southbound US-27 at a standstill. Authorities have closed the roadway to facilitate cleanup efforts.For those traveling south on US-27, the roadway is closed, and all traffic is being diverted to eastbound I-75. Drivers are advised to seek alternate routes and expect delays in the area.Please ...

Britain expected to join Indo-Pacific trade pact this week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

LONDON — Britain is expected to get the green light to join a key Indo-Pacific trade bloc before the end of this week in a move that will solidify its post-Brexit foreign policy shift toward the region.The U.K. would be the first new member to join the 11-nation bloc after it was first signed in 2018. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s breakthrough post-Brexit pact with the EU helped clear the way for Britain’s accession late last month.Three people familiar with the negotiations confirmed to POLITICO Britain is expected to reach an agreement in principle to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by the end of this week.The deal is not one hundred percent final but it is “very likely” and “looking good” that it will happen this week, said one of the people familiar with the talks. The pending agreement was first reported by Japan’s Fuji News Network, citing multiple Japanese government officials.The deal will establish regulatory ...

Scottish parliament backs new SNP leader Humza Yousaf to become first minister

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

LONDON — Humza Yousaf will replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scotland’s first minister tomorrow, after the Scottish parliament nominated the new SNP leader in a vote Tuesday.The 37-year-old was elected as leader of the pro-independence SNP leader Monday, narrowly defeating rival Kate Forbes following a divisive leadership contest. After second preference votes were taken into account, he won 52.1 percent of the vote compared to 47.9 percent for Forbes.In a vote among lawmakers among Scotland’s Holyrood parliament, every single SNP MSP — including Forbes and Sturgeon — voted for the new leader to become head of Scotland’s devolved government. They were joined in voting for Yousaf by MSPs representing the Scottish Greens, who following his election renewed the co-operation agreement that sees the pro-independence environmentalists hold power as part of the Scottish government. Together the two parties hold a majority in Holyrood.Currently first minister-designate, Yousaf wi...

Quincy woman wins “Decade of Dollars” top prize of $20,000 a month for 10 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

A woman from Quincy can expect some hefty checks for the next few years after winning the Massachusetts State Lottery’s “Decade of Dollars” game.Lottery officials say Joyce Doncaster won the “$20,000 a Month for 10 Years” prize and chose the annuity option, netting her the first 12 months of payments for a total of $240,000 (before taxes) and an additional $240,000 per year for the next nine years.The winning ticket was sold at the Lucky Shamrock convenience store on Beale Street in Quincy, according to the state lottery. The lucky shop itself will receive a $24,000 bonus for selling the winner.According to the state lottery’s website, the odds of winning the Decade of Dollars top prize are 1 in 2,520,000.

Mexico: Migrants lit mattresses in fire that killed 39

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

By MARÍA VERZA (Associated Press)MEXICO CITY (AP) — Migrants fearing deportation set mattresses ablaze at an immigration detention center in northern Mexico, starting a fire that left 39 dead, the president said Tuesday following one of the the deadliest incidents ever at an immigration lockup in the country.Hours after the fire broke out late Monday, rows of bodies were laid out under shimmery silver sheets outside the facility in Ciudad Juarez, which is across from El Paso, Texas, and a major crossing point for migrants. Ambulances, firefighters and vans from the morgue swarmed the scene.Thirty-nine people died and 29 were injured and are in “delicate-serious” condition, according to the National Immigration Institute. There were 68 men from Central and South America held in the facility at the time of the fire, the agency said. A Guatemalan official said many may have been from that Central American country.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sa...

Man struck, killed by bus while picking up friend at Logan Airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

A man struck and killed by a bus at Boston’s Logan International Airport was a 47-year-old Lexington resident who had gone to the airport to pick up a friend, Massachusetts State Police said Tuesday.Vishwachand Kolla was standing outside his SUV parked curbside at the Terminal B lower level roadway at about 5 p.m. Monday when the Dartmouth Transportation motor coach made contact with him, according to the preliminary state police investigation.He was dragged along the driver’s side of his vehicle and sustained severe injuries, state police said.An off-duty nurse who was at the scene attempted lifesaving measures as did responding personnel from the Massport Fire Department and Boston EMS, but Kolla was pronounced dead at the scene.The bus driver, a 54-year-old woman whose name was not made public, declined medical treatment and was interviewed by state police troopers.The investigation to determine whether criminal charges are warranted is ongoing.The Concord, New Hampsh...

Nashville school shooter sent alarming messages before the massacre, former teammate says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:37 GMT

Nashville school shooter Audrey Hale sent alarming messages to a former middle-school basketball teammate shortly before Monday’s deadly massacre, the ex-classmate said.Hale wrote she planned to commit suicide and that she’d likely be covered on the news in a series of direct messages to Averianna Patton over Instagram at 9:57 a.m. Monday, Patton told the Nashville news station WTVF.“One day this will make more sense,” Hale wrote, according to the messages published by the TV outlet. “I’ve left behind more than enough evidence behind. But something bad is about to happen.”Police say they received an active-shooter call at the Covenant School, where Hale was a former student, at 10:13 a.m. The shooting left three 9-year-old students and three adults dead, and Hale was fatally shot by police, officials said.Patton says she tried to help Hale after receiving her messages.“I tried to comfort and encourage her and subsequently reached out to the Suicide Prevention Help Line after being i...