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Surf’s up! Florida’s St. George Island beach named nation’s best in annual ranking

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A 9-mile (14-kilometer) stretch of Florida sugar-white sand in an unspoiled natural setting alongside the Gulf of Mexico is the nation’s best beach for 2023, according to the annual ranking released Thursday by the university professor known as “Dr. Beach.”The state park on St. George Island just off the Florida Panhandle drew the top honor from Stephen Leatherman, professor in the Department of Earth & Environment at Florida International University. This year’s top 10 list marks the 33rd year Leatherman has rated the best of America’s 650 public beaches around Memorial Day, the traditional start of summer.St. George Island is frequently on the list. But this year what set it apart from others is its natural beauty, lack of development, abundant activities including fishing, swimming, kayaking, cycling, camping and an unparalleled view of the night sky for stargazers, Leatherman said.“There’s just so many things that capture m...

UK-based group documents rights abuses since Taliban takeover of Afghanistan with ‘witness map’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A U.K.-based rights group on Thursday launched an interactive map documenting rampant human rights abuses and violence against civilians since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan nearly two years ago. The documented violations — committed by both the Taliban and militant groups such as the Islamic State group — paint a harrowing picture of present-day Afghanistan. The project by the independent, non-profit Center for Information Resilience is meant to draw wider attention to the surge in abuses against civilians, journalists, and ethnic minorities across the troubled country.With more than 1,300 data points of incidents since Aug. 17, 2021, the map is part of the center’s Afghan Witness initiative. “The map reveals the violence and human rights abuses occurring under Taliban rule against women, independent journalists, and minorities, sometimes in the form of ad hoc beatings in the street or staged public punishment, as well as violence used to suppress peaceful...

Japan racks up trade deficit although exports gradually rebound

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan racked up a trade deficit in April, marking the 21st month in a row of deficits, although it declined dramatically compared to a year ago, as exports recovered, according to government data released Thursday.Japan’s trade deficit totaled 432.4 billion yen ($3.2 billion) in April, as exports gained 2.6% and imports fell 2.3%, the Finance Ministry said.Vehicle shipments recovered, along with the export of auto parts and electronics products, as the supply crunch related to social restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic eased. Imports fell as soaring energy costs subsided compared to a year ago, when oil prices jumped for various reasons including uncertainty over the war in Ukraine.Japan imports almost all its gasoline and natural gas. The weak yen also helped send imports higher. Given these various factors, Japan’s trade deficit in April dwindled to about half of what it was a year earlier, at nearly 855 billion yen. Although a negative for imports, the weak ye...

‘Clock has hit midnight’: China loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China.An Associated Press analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China — including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia — found paying back that debt is consuming an ever-greater amount of the tax revenue needed to keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel. And it’s draining foreign currency reserves these countries use to pay interest on those loans, leaving some with just months before that money is gone.Behind the scenes is China’s reluctance to forgive debt and its extreme secrecy about how much money it has loaned and on what terms, which has kept other major lenders from stepping in to help. On top of that is the recent discovery that borrowers have been forced to put cash in hidden escrow accounts that push China to the fr...

Death row inmate challenges new Tennessee post-conviction law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee death row inmate is challenging the newly expanded authority of the appointed state attorney general to argue certain capital cases, a power that lawmakers shifted away from locally elected prosecutors under a new law after some expressed reluctance to pursue the death penalty.The law passed in April by the GOP-led Tennessee Legislature and signed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee has generated opposition from attorneys and Democratic lawmakers. They say the change violates the state Constitution, bypasses the will of voters and targets progressive-minded district attorneys who have defied lawmakers in the past.The statute is the latest example of attempts by GOP governors and legislatures in several states to take on locally elected officials who have de-prioritized enforcement of laws they deem unnecessary.Lawyer Robert Hutton has filed a motion for Larry McKay, asking a judge to disqualify Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti from representing the state ...

8-year-old girl dies in Border Patrol custody in Harlingen, Texas, as agency seeks to ease crowding

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) — An 8-year-old girl died Wednesday in Border Patrol custody, authorities said, a rare occurrence that comes as the agency struggles with overcrowding.The child and her family were being held at a station in Harlingen, Texas, in Rio Grande Valley, one of the busiest corridors for illegal crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, said in a statement.The girl experienced “a medical emergency” and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died, according to the statement, which did not disclose her nationality or provide additional information about the incident.Customs and Border Protection’s internal affairs office will investigate, and the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general and Harlingen police have been notified, Miller said. Sgt. Larry Moore, a spokesman for the Harlingen Police Department, said he had no information about the death. The Border Patrol had 28,717 people in custody on May 1...

Growing Signs of Significant Warming Next Week—STAY TUNED!

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

TEMPS REBOUND big time Thursday surging to within striking distance of 80-degrees—a near 20-degree temp increase by Thursday afternoon. But the return of clouds and showery spells Friday will reduce temps Friday and weekend lake breezes likely to put a lid on temps, holding inland readings to modestly BELOW NORMAL LEVELSPotential for Near 90° Next Week?What's interesting about next week's warming is the potential temps may not only reach the 80s—but that temps could actually near 90-degree in the Thursday/Friday time frame.One way or another, next week as a whole appears on track to warm more than 10-degrees over this week's temp which could indicate a week long average temp next surging 6° ABOVE NORMAL after a cool start Monday.Next Week May Average 10° Warmer Than This WeekOur in house work indicates this week will come out a statistical wash--averaging within a fraction of degree of normal. BUT—with the projected pattern change, temps next week are predicted to average 10-degrees...

Austin FC snaps 8-game winless streak with 2-1 win in Seattle

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Ethan Finlay had a goal and an assist and Austin FC handed the Western Conference-leading Seattle Sounders their second straight loss at home with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.Finlay took passes from Adam Lundkvist and Emiliano Rigoni and scored in the 36th minute. Finlay's first goal of the season gave Austin (3-5-4) a 1-0 lead at halftime.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersGyasi Zardes stretched the lead to 2-0 with a goal in the 57th minute off assists from Finlay and Jon Gallagher.Fredy Montero pulled the Sounders (7-4-3) within a goal when he scored in the 79th minute. Héber and Jordan Morris picked up assists on Montero's first netter of the season.Brad Stuver finished with three saves to help Austin beat Seattle for the first time after going 0-2-2 in the previous four match-ups. Stefan Frei had two saves for the Sounders.The San Jose Earthquakes...

SUV plunges off 101 overpass in downtown Los Angeles; 2 hospitalized

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

A man and a woman were rushed to the hospital Wednesday night after the SUV they were in reportedly flew off the 101 Freeway overpass and plunged onto Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles. Calls about the incident, which occurred near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Figueroa Street, came in just before 8:30 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.  Details surrounding the cause of the crash are limited, but an independent news agency reports that the Ford Expedition came off the 101 Freeway overpass, falling some 50 feet to Figueroa Street below before crashing into a wall. Video of the incident shows the top rear of the Ford SUV almost entirely flattened, while the front end of the vehicle severely crushed as well.  Law enforcement seen in downtown L.A. where an SUV flew off the 101 overpass onto Figueroa Street below on May 17, 2023. (RMG News)Henry Rivera said he was out on his nightly walk with his dog when he witnessed the crash and rushed ove...

More than 140 people charged in Orange County burglaries and robberies in past year, DA say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:00 GMT

More than 140 people have been charged in connection with Orange County burglaries and robberies in the last year, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.Of those, 24 defendants are allegedly part of five different burglary crews charged in the last two weeks alone.Additionally, seven newly charged defendants are facing hate crime enhancements for allegedly targeting Asian homeowners, officials said.Many of the crimes that were filed in the last year involve suspects with multiple strikes under California’s Three Strikes Law.One crew tied to 13 incidentsIn the latest case, 12 people were charged in 13 home invasions and burglaries in Brea, Irvine, Yorba Linda and Orange. Seven are facing hate crime charges and five are facing life sentences for kidnapping to commit robbery, officials said. That crew is believed to have ties to Riverside and Los Angeles counties and is suspected in other crimes across Southern California.The arrests, which began last week, w...