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Smoke billows over downtown Hartford after fire erupts in building

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

HARTFORD, CT. (AP) — Thick, gray smoke billowed from downtown Hartford, Connecticut, Tuesday as firefighters tried to quickly douse a fire in the city’s Frontier building.The fire erupted around 3 p.m. at the 10-story building, amid flash-flood warnings prompted by thunderstorms sweeping through the area.By late afternoon, crews extinguished the blaze at the building, which houses a telecommunications company.The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but officials said it started in a storage unit.Photos from the scene showed smoke streaming out of grates on the outside of the building’s bottom floor.There were no injuries, officials said.

Kremlin open to talks over potential prisoner swap

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Tuesday held the door open for contacts with the U.S. regarding a possible prisoner exchange that could potentially involve jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, but reaffirmed that such talks must be held out of the public eye.Asked whether Monday’s consular visits to Gershkovich, who has been held behind bars in Moscow since March on charges of espionage, and Vladimir Dunaev, a Russian citizen in U.S. custody on cybercrime charges, could potentially herald a prisoner swap, Kremlin spokesmanDmitry Peskov said that Moscow and Washington have touched on the issue.“We have said that there have been certain contacts on the subject, but we don’t want them to be discussed in public,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. “They must be carried out and continue in complete silence.”He didn’t offer any further details, but added that “the lawful right to consular contacts must be ensured on bo...

Man, woman killed in ‘apparent murder-suicide” in Raynham

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

Tatiana Tavares, 30, may have used her final moments in life to report her own murder to police.Both Tavares, of Raynham, and another resident of the home at 80 Ruth Ellen Road called into Raynham Police just after 2 a.m. Tuesday to report a shooting.But when police and paramedics arrived, according to the Bristol DA’s office, both Tavares and Scott Swale, 43, of Easton, were dead.The pair “had been engaged in a hostile year-long on again, off again relationship,” DA spokesman Greg Miliote said Tuesday evening.While Miliote said that the investigation is “active ongoing,” he said preliminary evidence suggests that Swale forced his way into the home by shattering a sliding glass door and then proceeded upstairs to Tavares’ bedroom. There, he shot Tavares in the chest while she was in bed and then shot himself in the head, the DA’s office said.Man arrested as accessory to New Bedford murderPolice arrested Sterling Robinson, 24, of New Bedford, as an accessory after the fac...

Revelers across the US brave heat and rain to celebrate Fourth of July

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Revelers across the U.S. braved heat and heavy rain to take part in Fourth of July activities Tuesday — celebrating the nation’s founding with parades, fireworks and hot dog eating contests at a time of lingering political divisions and concerns about the country’s future.In Boston, people dodged raindrops to nab a coveted space on the grassy oval in front of the Hatch Shell along the Charles River ahead of the traditional Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Hundreds of thousands of partygoers typically line both sides of the river for the fireworks spectacular that follows a concert.At another longstanding celebration, fans of competitive eating crowded to watch Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest held in the Coney Island section of New York City.Heavy downpours interrupted the contest, but after the pause, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut swallowed 62 franks and buns in 10 minutes.“What a roller coaster, emotionally,” Chestnut said. The 39-year-old f...

IAEA chief will visit Japan’s tsunami-wrecked nuclear plant before radioactive water is released

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The U.N. nuclear chief is to visit Japan’s tsunami-wrecked nuclear power plant Wednesday after the agency affirmed the safety of a contentious plan to release treated radioactive water into the sea.On his way to the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a highlight of his four-day Japan visit, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi will join government and utility officials to hear the concerns of mayors and fishing association leaders and to assure them of the plan’s safety.The IAEA, in its final report released Tuesday, concluded the plan to release the wastewater — which would be significantly diluted but still have some radioactivity — meets international standards and its environmental and health impact would be negligible.But local fishing organizations have rejected the plan because they worry that their reputation will be damaged even if their catch isn’t contaminated. It is also opposed by groups in South Korea, China and some Pacific Isl...

‘Smallville’ actor released from prison for role in sex-trafficking case tied to cult-like group

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

The television actor Allison Mack, who pleaded guilty for her role in a sex-trafficking case tied to the cult-like group NXIVM, has been released from a California prison, according to a government website.Mack, best known for her role as a young Superman’s close friend on “Smallville,” was sentenced to three years behind bars in 2021 after pleading guilty two years earlier to charges that she manipulated women into becoming sex slaves for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere.Online records maintained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons said Mack, 40, was released Monday from a federal prison in Dublin, California, near San Francisco. Her release was first reported by the Albany Times-Union.Mack avoided a longer prison term by cooperating with federal authorities in their case against Raniere, who was ultimately sentenced to 120 years in prison after being convicted on sex-trafficking charges.Mack helped prosecutors mount evidence showing how Raniere created a secret society that included brainw...

B.C. port strike talks are deadlocked over maintenance, both sides say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

VANCOUVER — Talks between maritime employers and the union involved in British Columbia’s port strike are deadlocked over maintenance work, both sides say.The union blamed the employers association for failing to agree on “one sentence” in a maintenance deal, while the association said the union was trying to “aggressively expand” control over work it was already unable to fulfil.More than 7,000 workers at 30 ports across B.C. have been on strike since Saturday morning, leading business organizations as well as officials in both Alberta and Saskatchewan to call on Ottawa to step in.In a statement issued Tuesday, a day after talks stalled, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada said its jurisdiction over maintenance has been eroded by employers in the BC Maritime Employers Association who were using contractors.“The key issue that is holding up getting a deal is contracting out of ILWU maintenance work by member employers of the BCM...

1 killed, 3 hurt in crash of small plane shortly after takeoff in Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — One person was killed and three others were injured when a single-engine plane crashed Tuesday in Southern California, authorities said. The Cessna 172 with four people aboard crashed shortly after taking off from French Valley Airport in Murrieta around 2:45 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said. Televised news footage showed the small plane upside down in a business parking lot. One person died at the scene about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Three others were taken to hospitals, one with serious injuries, the fire department said on Twitter. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The Associated Press

Shooting investigation underway in Harvey, 2 hospitalized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

HARVEY, Ill. -- Harvey police are investigating a shooting that sent multiple people to the hospital on the evening of Tuesday, July 4.According to reports, a shooting allegedly started at home near 147th Street and Peoria Street in Harvey Tuesday evening. Alderman: Migrant shot near Back of the Yards high school Two people were shot and reportedly ran towards a Popeyes a couple of block away, while other reports are saying the shooting started at Popeyes and ended at the home near 147th Street and Peoria Street.Both victims were transported to separate local hospitals. Their conditions are unknown at this time.No further information has become available at this time.Stay with WGN as this story develops

With Loons’ Dayne St. Clair in goal, Canada beats Cuba in Gold Cup to reach quarters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:56:24 GMT

Canada beats Cuba 4-2 and will play US in CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinalHOUSTON — Canada advanced to a quarterfinal matchup against the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, beating Cuba 4-2 on Tuesday night with Minnesota United’s Dayne St. Clair in goal.St. Clair was making his first start of the Gold Cup for Canada. He has been with Minnesota United since being drafted seventh overall in 2019 and has made 16 starts in goal this season.Guatemala also advanced with a 3-2 victory over Guadeloupe at Harrison, New Jersey, and will play Jamaica in the opener of a quarterfinal doubleheader at Cincinnati on Sunday, followed by the U.S.-Canada matchup.Junior Hoilett converted a 21st-minute penalty kick for No. 45 Canada after a hand ball on Eduardo Hernandez on Hoilett’s cross.Jonathan Osorio scored in the 26th off Lucas Cavallini’s pass, Jayden Nelson on a rebound of Cavallini’s shot in the 47th and Liam Millar in the 61st on a header from Hoilett’s corner...