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The US leads the world in weather catastrophes. Here’s why

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

The United States is Earth’s punching bag for nasty weather.Blame geography for the U.S. getting hit by stronger, costlier, more varied and frequent extreme weather than anywhere on the planet, several experts said. Two oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, jutting peninsulas like Florida, clashing storm fronts and the jet stream combine to naturally brew the nastiest of weather.That’s only part of it. Nature dealt the United States a bad hand, but people have made it much worse by what, where and how we build, several experts told The Associated Press. Then add climate change, and “buckle up. More extreme events are expected,” said Rick Spinrad, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Flash floods. Droughts. Wildfires. Blizzards. Ice storms. Nor’easters. Lake-effect snow. Heat waves. Severe thunderstorms. Hail. Lightning. Atmospheric rivers. Derechos. Dust storms. Monsoons. Bomb cyclones. And the dreaded polar vortex. It s...

Israeli strikes in Syria’s Homs province wound 5 soldiers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli airstrikes hit several sites in Syria’s Homs province early Sunday, wounding five soldiers, Syrian state media reported.It marked the ninth time Israel has struck targets in Syria since the beginning of the year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-linked war monitor.State news agency SANA, citing military sources, said the strikes had targeted sites in the city of Homs and surrounding countryside. Syrian air defenses intercepted the missiles and shot down some of them, it said.The observatory reported that the missiles targeted Syrian military sites and those of Iran-linked militias, including a research center.There was no immediate statement from Israel on the strikes.Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports, but it rarely acknowledges specific operations.Israel says it targets bases of Iran-all...

Colorado on track to make abortion and gender-affirming protections law as lawmakers pass package of three bills

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

After more than 29 hours of often tense and emotional debate over three days, Colorado lawmakers passed Democrats’ three priority abortion and gender-affirming-care bills Saturday night.The bills passed in the Colorado House place tighter regulations upon the advertising and unproven scientific claims of crisis-pregnancy centers, codify protections for providers of abortion- and gender-affirming care, and extend insurance coverage to abortion and other reproductive health-related treatment. They represent the latest steps in Democrats’ ongoing efforts to enshrine and expand abortion access in state law amid the national fallout from the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June, a push that began last year and is set to continue with ballot measures in November 2024.“I’m so glad we were able to deliver on the promise of (the Reproductive Health Equity Act),” said Democratic Rep. Meg Froelich of the bills’ passage. “The new patchwork ...

1 killed, suspect arrested in Ivy City Hotel stabbing, police say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

District police have arrested a suspect accused of stabbing a woman to death in a Northeast D.C. hotel room.Police said they were called to Ivy City Hotel at the 1600 block of New York Avenue just before 7 p.m. Friday to investigate a reported issue.When they arrived, officers said Christy Bautista, 31, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, was unconscious inside a hotel room with stab wounds.First responders attempted to revive Bautista but were unsuccessful. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.Police said George Sydnor, Jr., 43, was at the scene of the stabbing. Sydnor was arrested and is charged with first-degree murder.More Local NewsMore Crime NewsSource

Golden Knights beat Wild 4-1 in battle of division leaders

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights are chasing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and Laurent Brossoit is trying to become their starting goalie in the playoffs.Both took steps forward Saturday night, with Brossoit overcoming an early goal to make 31 saves as the Knights beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 in a battle of division leaders to open a home-and-home series.The teams meet again Monday night in Minnesota.Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist for the Knights, and Ben Hutton, Zach Whitecloud and Brett Howden scored the other three goals. Jack Eichel had two assists. Matt Boldy scored for Minnesota goal.“I thought it was one of our more complete games,” Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “They get the first goal and we kept playing. That’s what I liked most about it.”The Knights, who already have clinched a playoff spot, took a step toward winning the Pacific Division with 101 points. It’s the second time in the six-year history of the franchise the Knights ...

Mozambique works to contain cholera outbreak after cyclone

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

QUELIMANE, Mozambique (AP) — Weeks after massive Cyclone Freddy hit Mozambique for a second time, the still-flooded country is facing a spiraling cholera outbreak that threatens to add to the devastation.There were over 19,000 confirmed cases of cholera across eight of Mozambique’s provinces as of March 27, according to U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, a figure which had almost doubled in a week. Freddy was likely the longest-lived cyclone ever, lasting over five weeks and hitting Mozambique twice. The tropical storm killed 165 people in Mozambique, 17 in Madagascar and 676 in Malawi. More than 530 people are still missing in Malawi two weeks later so that country’s death toll could well exceed 1,200. Freddy made its second landfall in Mozambique’s Zambezia province, where scores of villages remain flooded and water supplies are still contaminated.At a hospital in Quelimane, Zambezia’s provincial capital, National Institute of Health director gen...

Colorado on track to increase access, make abortion and gender-affirming protections law

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

After more than 29 hours of often tense and emotional debate over three days, Colorado lawmakers passed Democrats’ three priority abortion and gender-affirming-care bills Saturday night.The bills passed in the Colorado House place tighter regulations upon the advertising and unproven scientific claims of crisis-pregnancy centers, codify protections for providers of abortion- and gender-affirming care, and extend insurance coverage to abortion and other reproductive health-related treatment. They represent the latest steps in Democrats’ ongoing efforts to enshrine and expand abortion access in state law amid the national fallout from the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June, a push that began last year and is set to continue with ballot measures in November 2024.“I’m so glad we were able to deliver on the promise of (the Reproductive Health Equity Act),” said Democratic Rep. Meg Froelich of the bills’ passage. “The new patchwork ...

On democracy, the people have the best say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

Over the years, the United States has claimed to be a "beacon of democracy". But even at best as a "lamp", it has become increasingly dim and could barely shed light on itself. Taking its electoral system as an example, more than US$16.7 billion was spent by both parties in the 2022 midterm elections, dwarfing the 2021 GDPs of more than 70 countries. The top 21 families making political donations contributed at least a million each, totalling US$783 million. Over 90% of those elected as lawmakers won by splurging funds. The so-called American democracy is merely a “game of the rich” founded on capital. Americans’ pride in their democracy has dropped sharply, from 90% in 2002 to 54% in 2022, according to a joint Washington Post-University of Maryland survey.Despite mounting problems at home, the United States continued to behave with a sense of superiority, usurp the role of a “lecturer of democracy”, and organized another edition of the so-called “Summit for Democracy”. The purpose ...

Verstappen wins in wild finish to F1 Australian Grand Prix

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has claimed his first Australian Grand Prix in remarkable circumstances in a chaotic Formula 1 race filled with drama from the green light to the checkered flag.Although Red Bull’s first triumph in Melbourne since 2011 was expected, the carnage that unfolded in the latter stages of the race at Albert Park made it an extremely hard-fought triumph.Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who drove superbly in his Mercedes, finished second, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso filled third spot on the podium.“That is a really good weekend for us. I am happy with that,” Verstappen said to his team on radio.Verstappen had appeared to be coasting to victory with an eight-second lead when debris from Kevin Magnussen’s Haas forced the second of three red flags issued in the race with three laps remaining.On the restart, Verstappen was able to hold Hamilton to the first turn as bedlam unfolded behind his RB19, sparking a massive reshuffl...

Finns vote in tight election; young leader seeks reelection

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 20:26:08 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Polling stations opened Sunday in Finland, where three parties were expected to be in a tight race as Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s Social Democrats fight to secure a second term running the government.Over 2,400 candidates from 22 parties were vying for the 200 seats in the Nordic country’s parliament, the Eduskunta. Marin, who at age 37 is one of Europe’s youngest leaders, has received praise for her Cabinet’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and for her prominent role, along with President Sauli Niinistö, in advocating for Finland’s successful application to join NATO. Her vocal support of Ukraine in the last year has increased her international visibility.“Of course we hope that the Social Democrats will win this election … It’s so important because we want to stay an open society. We also want to work together internationally. We want to build a better green sustainable future where people have the same opportunities in life,” Marin told the As...