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Family identifies fatal wrong-way crash victim as loving father of six

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The family of the man killed on Wednesday in a wrong-way freeway crash has identified him as a 57-year-old Los Angeles resident and loving father of six.The crash happened shortly before noon on southbound Interstate 805 near Camino De La Plaza, which is the last U.S. exit on the roadway.According to his family, Abel Bermudez Griego was traveling southbound to Ensenada to see his mother and pick up his daughter for a weekend trip, when a Audi sedan collided head-on with his Honda van. He was later pronounced dead.“This just flipped my family’s world upside down and right now we still can’t believe it," Jorge Benitez, the victim's son said. “He was just a great guy, I’m going to miss him, everybody loved him.” Nearly 100 weapons collected at gun safety event: SDSO Benitez said his dad lived in Los Angeles County in the City of La Puente, where Griego worked as a union interior construction worker.“My dad, great guy, everybody loved him, looked out for everybody, would ...

Man hit, killed after I-805 fender bender identified

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The man fatally struck on the northbound Interstate 805 on Friday has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner's office.Richard Anthony Rollo, a 61-year-old resident of San Diego, was named by authorities as the deceased. Next of kin has been notified.The incident occurred around 12 p.m., California Highway Patrol said on Friday. Rollo had pulled over to the shoulder of the I-805 after getting involved in a minor, property damage-only crash with a Freightliner semi-truck.According to authorities, he got out of his Acura sedan, which was parked near the State Route 52 on-ramp transition. The Freightliner semi-truck had pulled into the gore in between the I-805 main lanes and the connector. 47-year-old man in Sheriff’s custody dies after found unresponsive in cell Rollo got out of his vehicle to talk to the driver of the semi-truck, crossing across the transition lanes to make contact, CHP said on Friday.After discussing the crash, Rollo attempted to cross back...

4 crew members on Australian army helicopter that crashed off coast didn’t survive, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian army helicopter that crashed Friday during a multinational exercise hit the water with a “catastrophic impact” and there is no chance its four crew members survived, officials said Monday.Australia’s fleet of more than 40 of the MRH-90 Taipan helicopters, made by French Airbus, has been grounded since the crash and there are doubts any will fly again. They will be grounded until crash investigators determine what caused the tragedy. The government announced in January it plans to replace them with 40 U.S. Black Hawks. The Taipans’ retirement date of December 2024 would be 13 years earlier than Australia had initially planned.Defense Minister Richard Marles said the search and rescue effort changed Monday to a victim recovery operation with no chance that Capt. Danniel Lyon, Lt. Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Joseph Laycock or Cpl. Alexander Naggs had survived.“There was a catastrophic incident and with every passing hour, it is now clear th...

As the pope heads to Portugal, he is laying the groundwork for the church’s future and his legacy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis made the first foreign trip of his papacy, to Rio di Janeiro for World Youth Day in 2013, he urged young people to make a “mess” in their local churches, to shake things up even if it ruffled the feathers of their bishops.As he embarks this week on another edition of World Youth Day, in Lisbon, Portugal, Francis in many ways has taken his own advice to heart. After 10 years as pope, Francis is accelerating his reform agenda and making revolutionary changes in personnel and policy that are definitely shaking things up.Unencumbered by the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI, who died seven months ago, and despite recovering from a second intestinal surgery in as many years, the 86-year-old Francis is opening a frenetic second half of the year with his Portugal visit. He seems aware that he has a limited sweet spot of time to solidify the changes he believes are necessary for the 21st century church, and is looking to the next generation of faithful and le...

Caribbean Export forges closer ties with the Dominican Republic through headquarters agreement signing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

Caribbean Export signs a Headquarters Agreement with the Government of the Dominican Republic. The signing marks a milestone in a new era of collaboration and progress for the Caribbean. Caribbean Export is committed to fostering greater regional trade and attracting foreign direct investment to the Caribbean. The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) took a significant step forward in strengthening trade and co-operation with the Dominican Republic as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Álvarez, and Caribbean Export’s Executive Director, Deodat Maharaj, gathered for the momentous signing of a Headquarters Agreement formalizing the operations of the Subregional Office of the agency in the Dominican Republic (DR). After signing the agreement, Minister Álvarez highlighted that Dominican companies will now enjoy the distinct advantage of having the agency’s Subregional Office formally established within the country. Caribbean Export’s primary objective is to boost tra...

Man killed, boy critically injured in DUI-related crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

Authorities with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating after a driver believed to be under the influence caused a crash that killed one man and critically injured a boy Saturday night in Lancaster.  Deputies from the sheriff’s department’s Lancaster Station responded to the scene near the intersection of 20th East Street and Avenue L at around 11:16 p.m. on July 29 on reports of the fatal two-car collision, authorities said in a news release.  A preliminary investigation indicates that a man driving a Lexus northbound on 20th Street East failed to stop at the red light at Avenue L, colliding with a Ford sedan traveling westbound on Avenue L that was carrying four passengers. An adult male in the Ford’s rear passenger seat suffered fatal injuries while a male juvenile was seriously wounded and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Video taken at the scene showed a heavy presence of first responders as well as significant damage to both vehicle...

Niño de 8 años sobrevive al ataque de un puma cerca del lago Ángeles de Washington

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

(CNN) — Un niño de 8 años resultó con heridas leves después de ser atacado por un puma en el Parque Nacional Olympic de Washington este sábado por la noche, dijeron funcionarios del parque.El niño estaba acampando con su madre en el lago Ángeles, en el área de Heart O’ the Hills al sur de Port Angeles cuando el puma atacó, según un comunicado de prensa del Servicio de Parques Nacionales.El depredador felino “casualmente abandonó su ataque después de que la madre del niño le gritara y gritara”, dijo el servicio del parque.El personal del parque fue notificado sobre el ataque a las 6:30 p.m. y respondió rápidamente, según el comunicado.El niño sufrió “lesiones menores” y fue llevado al hospital para una evaluación adicional. El personal del parque escoltó a la familia de regreso al comienzo del sendero, dice el comunicado.Un puma ataca a un niño de 4 años en la reserva natural de San DiegoUn puma suelto pone en alerta a una ciudad de Argentina 1:02El personal evacuó a todo...

Denmark floats Quran-burning ban after far-right protests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

Denmark is considering banning events where “religions are being insulted,” the foreign ministry said Sunday after Qurans were burned in recent weeks by far-right groups in front of foreign embassies from Muslim-majority countries in Copenhagen.The Danish government will “explore the possibility of intervening in special situations where, for instance, other countries, cultures, and religions are being insulted,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding the burnings were “deeply offensive” and “play into the hands of extremists.”“We must find a legal tool that allows us to prevent Quran burnings in front of foreign embassies in Denmark,” Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR on Sunday, adding there had been “five Quran burnings” in Copenhagen that day.Several Quran burnings have taken place in Denmark and Sweden, where the act is permitted under freedom of expression and right ...

Fans pay tribute to Coco Lee, Hong Kong singer who had international success

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Fans of singer and songwriter Coco Lee, who was known for her powerful voice and live performances, were gathering with flowers to pay their respects to their idol at her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday.The evening services were expected to be attended by her family, friends and supporters. Lee died July 5 at age 48. She was born in Hong Kong and attended school in San Francisco before releasing her first album in 1994 at age 19. She began her career as a Mandopop singer but branched out to release albums in Cantonese and English.She was the first Chinese singer to break into the American market, and her English song “Do You Want My Love” climbed to #4 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Breakouts chart in December 1999. In 2001, she sang “A Love Before Time” from Ang Lee’s movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars.Lee was also the voice of heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s “Mula...

Our bears are real, a Chinese zoo says, denying they are ‘humans in disguise’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — A zoo in eastern China is denying suggestions some of its bears might be people in costumes after photos of the animals standing like humans circulated online.The sun bears from Malaysia are smaller than other bears and look different but are the real thing, the Hangzhou Zoo said Monday on its social media account.“Some people think I stand like a person,” said the posting, written from the bear’s point of view. “It seems you don’t understand me very well.”An employee who answered the phone at the zoo declined to talk about the bears but said visits were being arranged for reporters Monday to see them.Internet users questioned whether the zoo’s bears were real after photos circulated showing one standing upright on slender hind legs.“Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are ‘humans in disguise,’” the newspaper Hangzhou Daily said.Sun bears are the size of large dogs, standing at most 1.3 meters (50 inches) tall on their hind le...