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Explosion 1 million times brighter than the Milky Way creates rare elements

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

(CNN) — The James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories witnessed a massive explosion in space that created rare chemical elements, some of which are necessary for life.The explosion, observed on March 7, was the second brightest gamma-ray burst ever witnessed by telescopes in more than 50 years of observations, over one million times brighter than the entire Milky Way Galaxy combined. Gamma-ray bursts are short emissions of the most energetic form of light.This particular burst, called GRB 230307A, was likely created when two neutron stars — the incredibly dense remnants of stars after a supernova — merged in a galaxy about one billion light-years away. In addition to releasing the gamma-ray burst, the merger created a kilonova, a rare explosion that occurs when a neutron star merges with another neutron star or a black hole, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.“There are only a mere handful of known kilonovas, and this is the first ...

‘He cannot hear the shooting’: Deaf man originally from Chelsea, Mass. identified as victim of Lewiston, Maine shootings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

Steve Vozzella was playing in a cornhole tournament with fellow members of the deaf community when he was shot and killed during the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine.Sandra Brum shares a 21-year-old son with Steve. She said Steve grew up in Chelsea, Massachusetts, graduated from the Beverly School for the Deaf. “He died painful, last minute, unexpected,” Brum said. “He cannot hear the shooting at the bowling alley.  He can not hear nothing.”Brum said Steve also worked at the United States Postal Service Sorting Facility in South Boston until recently.“Brother Vozzella was only 45-years-old,” his union APWU said in a statement. “He had much more life to live before it was stolen from him in an all-too-common senseless act of gun violence.”“He’s wonderful! Very friendly, very humble, laid back, just a butterfly,” Brum said of Steve. “He’s a great guy.”Steve got married and moved to Maine this year. Sandra said it was Steve’s wife who called to tell her the news of his death.“He ...

Battenfeld: Joe Biden’s move to skip New Hampshire primary could come with steep price in November

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

Joe Biden risks losing a key purple state by flipping off New Hampshire voters in an election that could come down to just a few electoral votes.The president’s campaign has made a calculated risk that Granite State voters will forget Biden’s snub of refusing to put his name on the primary ballot.Chances are they won’t forget. New Hampshire has four electoral votes and in a close election losing them could be a major blow to Democrats’ hopes of holding on to the White House.But Biden has chosen South Carolina over New Hampshire and Iowa by endorsing the Palmetto State primary first in line – rewarding the place that rescued his 2020 campaign.South Carolina is now the leadoff voting state in the selection process under Democratic National Committee rules, but New Hampshire is ignoring that DNC list, vowing to hold its primary first under its own state law. Iowa Democrats are also working to preserve their early January caucus.“While the president wishes to participate in the pr...

Richard Moll, who found fame as a bailiff on the original sitcom ‘Night Court,’ dies at 80

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

By MARK KENNEDY (AP Entertainment Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Moll, a character actor who found lasting fame as an eccentric but gentle giant bailiff on the original “Night Court” sitcom, has died. He was 80.Moll died Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, California, according to Jeff Sanderson, a family spokesperson. Moll played “Bull” Shannon on NBC’s “Night Court” from 1984-1992 alongside stars Harry Anderson and John Larroquette. His character formed a close friendship with the court’s other bailiff, Roz Russell, played by Marsha Warfield. Bull was known for his shaved head, catchphrase, “Ohh-kay,” and a dim but sweet world view.After “Night Court” ended, Moll contributed his trademark gravelly voice to various video games and comic book projects like “Batman: The Animated Series” as Harvey Dent and appeared in horror films like “Ghost Shark” (2013) and “Slay Belles...

Heavily-traveled border roadway in Tijuana to become one-way only

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) -- With a pending construction project to build a highway on top of Tijuana's Avenida Internacional — a widely-used roadway that parallels the border — city engineers have decided that during construction, it will be best to turn it into a one-way street.Initially, it was to have one lane of traffic in each direction.But now, the two available lanes will only take cars from the San Ysidro Port of Entry west toward the coast. Road project to partially close major border thoroughfare in Tijuana indefinitely The city made this change after "further evaluating traffic patterns and the impact in the area." It was decided that the one-way-only pattern was best and would avoid potential problems."If we leave only one lane in each direction, with cars coming out of the United States in the afternoon and evening, it's going to create a huge bottleneck and it could lead to a total standstill," said Rafael Vázquez Hernández, director of traffic with the Tijuana Pol...

Premier Eby condemns rise in hate crimes in B.C. stemming from Israeli-Hamas conflict

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

VICTORIA — British Columbia Premier David Eby is condemning the rise in hate crimes in the province, driven by the Israeli-Hamas war.Eby says in a written statement that his office has heard “directly” about a number of acts of antisemitism, such as the vandalism of a rabbi’s home and two Jewish women being threatened with violence after a rally.He says there are also increased reports of hate incidents from Muslim organizations in the province, including an incident where two women were attacked in Vancouver.Eby says there is equally “no place for Islamophobia or anti-Palestinian hate” in B.C. as there is “no place for antisemitism or anti-Israeli hate.”More than 1,400 people have died in Israel since the deadly incursion by Hamas on Oct. 7, while authorities in Gaza say the death toll has passed 7,300 in the territory since the war began.Both Israeli and Palestinian supporters have held large-scale public rallies in British Columbia since ...

The Teresa Group helps support Toronto children, families impacted by HIV and AIDS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

In the heart of Toronto’s Downtown Yonge East neighbourhood, The Teresa Group is doing important work with children and families impacted by HIV and AIDS by providing vital support to families that can be hard to come by elsewhere.The Teresa Group was founded in 1990 by Penelope Holeton. It was born out of a need to help children during at a time of crisis.“Children were equally being affected with HIV. A lot of parents were giving birth to children who are positive. The medical technology was not advanced,” Rajesh Pisharody, the executive director of The Teresa Group, said while reflecting on progress made in treatments.He noted it would take a cocktail of drugs 30 years ago to provide treatment while today it’s mostly a pill a day.“The standard of living has improved accessibility to medical professionals medical technology, coverage of medications, all of that has come a long way. People are leading much more healthier lives,” Pisharody said.&#...

Ex-MP Roméo Saganash referred to restorative justice program in sexual assault case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

OTTAWA — The Manitoba government says former NDP MP Roméo Saganash, who is facing a sexual assault charge, has been referred to a restorative justice program.A provincial spokesperson confirmed today that the matter has been sent to diversion, and the Manitoba Restorative Justice Centre has accepted Saganash and “placed him in programming.” The complainant in the case alleges that she was sexually assaulted on May 1, and Winnipeg police say they arrested Saganash on June 27.Saganash’s lawyer, Ethan Pollock, said in an email earlier today that he was not at “liberty to discuss this matter until there is finality.”None of the allegations have been tested in court, and Pollock said in August that his client is presumed innocent and requested that his privacy be respected.Saganash represented the northern Quebec riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou from 2011 to 2019.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2023. The Canadian Press

Judge in Young Dolph case removes himself based on appeals court order

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A judge removed himself from the Young Dolph murder case Friday after he was ordered to do so by a Tennessee appeals court, which questioned whether he could be impartial to a man charged with killing the rapper two years ago.Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee asked the court clerk to assign a new judge in the high-profile case. The Tennessee Court of Appeals issued its order Sept. 28 after Coffee refused to step down at the request of the lawyer for Justin Johnson, who is charged with two other men in the fatal shooting of Young Dolph in November 2021.The lawyer, Luke Evans, had argued that Coffee could not be impartial after the judge failed to inform him about an order limiting Johnson’s ability to communicate with people outside the jail other than Evans.Johnson and Cornelius Smith have pleaded not guilty in the killing of Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr. The rapper, producer and independent music label owner was gunned down i...

Salman Rushdie could confront man charged with stabbing him when trial begins in January

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:52 GMT

MAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Author Salman Rushdie could take the stand against the man charged with repeatedly stabbing him before a lecture when the defendant goes on trial early next year, a prosecutor said Friday.“He is on the people’s witness list right now heading into trial,” Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said, following a court hearing in which the judge scheduled the trial for Jan. 8.Hadi Matar, 25, has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and attempted murder. Authorities said the New Jersey resident left the audience and rushed the stage where the “The Satanic Verses” author was about to speak in August 2022, stabbing him more than a dozen times before onlookers intervened. Rushdie, 76, who was left blinded in his right eye and with a damaged left hand, wrote about the attack in a memoir: “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” due out April 16.Matar has been in custody since immediately after the attack at the Chautauqua Institution, an arts and ...