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Blinken tells Australia that WikiLeaks founder is accused of ‘very serious’ crime

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.Australia’s center-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States.Assange’s freedom is widely seen as a test of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration.Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been discussed in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.“I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it’s very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,” Blinken told reporters.“Mr....

Carthage College senior among two dead after driver crashes into Kenosha business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

KENOSHA, Wisc. — A Carthage College student is among one of two dead, and two others that were injured after a driver crashed into a store in Kenosha, Wisconsin.The crash happened around 3:25 a.m. at the Play it Again Sports store in the 4000 block of 75th Street.According to Carthage College and the Wisconsin Juniors Volleyball Club, Jenna Barrette — a rising senior at Carthage — is one of the two people who died in the crash.Barrette originally spent two years at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh before transferring to her hometown college to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing.In a statement from Carthage College President John Swallow, he said Barrette competed for two years as a defensive specialist on the women's volleyball team from 2021 to 2022. Man unresponsive after being pulled from pond in Bensenville Five people were inside the truck when the driver partially crashed into the store, according to police.Two people were killed and two people were critically injured,...

Bears host 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl race during training camp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

CHICAGO — Baby bears fans channeled their inner Lightning McQueen Saturday, as the Chicago Bears hosted their second annual Baby Bear Crawl race at Halas Hall.The contest featured fans and their babies decked out in Bears' gear, alongside Advocate Health Care and Bears staff members and their little ones at the Walter Payton Center during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race during Chicago Bears training camp.Photos from the 2nd annual Baby Bear Crawl Race...

Old Log Theatre’s ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ revival is all about the music

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

In the nostalgia-fueled business of jukebox musicals, few shows ask more of a cast than “Million Dollar Quartet.” Among the many biographies of hitmakers on American stages, this one requires the performers to be skilled musicians who can transmit the electricity and abandon of early rock ‘n’ roll.Seven years after first presenting Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott’s distillation of the story of Memphis’ Sun Records, Old Log Theatre is staging a revival that eclipses the first in energy and musicianship. A musical ostensibly about a jam session truly feels like one in this version, which is suffused with the joy of music-making.By late 1956, producer Sam Phillips and Sun had already launched Elvis Presley to stardom and labelmate Johnny Cash had hit the pop culture radar. On Dec. 4 of that year, those two stopped by Sun Studios for a visit as Carl Perkins was recording some potential follow-up hits to “Blue Suede Shoes,” complemented by Sun’s newest addition, the piano-pound...

Severe storms slam St. Louis area, heading toward Metro East

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect through at least 5 p.m. Saturday for parts of the St. Louis metro. The most intense parts of the storm are heading toward the east of St. Louis after strong winds and heavy rainfall in the Missouri side of the region. If you are in the path of a severe thunderstorm warning, seek shelter immediately. While thunderstorms and some rain chances are the main threats, there is also the potential for damaging winds up to 70 mph. There is also strong potential for downed trees and power lines. Drivers may notice some brief, localized flood risks as well. As severe storms roll through the area, much of area remains under a severe thunderstorm watch. That includes: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Madison, St. Clair, St. Charles, Jefferson, Boone, Franklin, St. Francois, Adams, Macoupin, Cole, Jersey, Randolph, Marion, Callaway, Lincoln, Monroe, Audrain, Pike, Greene, Warren, Pike, Gasconade, Crawford, Moniteau, Montgomery, Brown, Washin...

Widespread outages: 100K-plus without power in St. Louis area after storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Strong storms in the St. Louis area have led to widespread power outages. Ameren crews are working to restore power to tens of thousands of customers without power. Just before 5 p.m. Saturday, there are around 90,000 Ameren customers without service in Missouri and 15,000 in the state of Illinois. Severe storms from the west of the St. Louis region packed lightning, rain and winds up to 70 miles per hour. To check out Ameren's outage map or report a power outage, click here. Current customers without power in Missouri:St. Charles County – 16,000St. Louis County – 51,000St. Louis City – 7,400Jefferson County – 7,000Current customers without power in Illinois:Madison County - 8,400St. Clair County - 3,400

Man arrested for stalking, kidnapping ex-lover in Riverside County 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

A man who allegedly stalked and kidnapped his ex-lover was arrested in Riverside County on Saturday. According to a release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, deputies with the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station received calls from the family of a victim stating that a female resident was taken against her will in the 13000 block of Elsworth Avenue in Moreno Valley. When deputies responded, they located the kidnapped female’s vehicle with her and the suspect, Johnny Melvin Monroe, inside. During the incident, Monroe went to the victim’s residence and forced her into her vehicle before driving away against her will, authorities said.  Riot breaks out at juvenile detention hall in Downey “The victim stated she previously was involved in a relation with Monroe but had made it clear she was no longer interested in him,” RCSD said in a statement. “The suspect had been previously arrested at the victim’s residence on multiple incidents but continued to seek out the victi...

Angels outfielder Taylor Ward leaves game after being hit in head by Alek Manoah pitch

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was hit in the head by a pitch from Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah in the fifth inning Saturday against Toronto.Batting with the bases loaded, Ward was hit by a 2-0 pitch clocked at 91 mph. The ball appeared to strike Ward next to his next left eye, knocking off his batting helmet.Plate umpire Andy Fletcher motioned to the Angels' dugout for the trainer as Ward went down with blood running down his face.Manoah put his hands on his head as he stood on the mound. It was the second hit batter of the game for Manoah, who hit Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani on the left foot in the first.Angels trainers rushed to the plate and held a towel to Ward’s face. After a couple of minutes, Ward got to his feet and left the field on a cart. His left eye appeared to be swollen shut.Andrew Velazquez ran for Ward, who drove in the first run of the game. Velazquez went to shortstop and Luis Rengifo, who scored on the play, moved to left field...

The busiest times to fly around Labor Day 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

(NerdWallet) - Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. — but it’s hardly the end of airport crowds. In fact, given record-breaking crowds already this year, there’s a good chance this Labor Day weekend could be busier than any prior Labor Day weekend.Already this summer, U.S. airports have set fresh passenger records. June 30, the Friday before July 4, marked a new record high of passengers on a single day when more than 2.884 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints.That figure topped the previous record of 2.882 million people from the Sunday after 2019’s Thanksgiving, according to a NerdWallet analysis of TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at U.S. TSA checkpoints over the last four years.Roughly 12% more people passed through U.S. airports in June 2023 versus June 2022, which is perhaps unsurprising given the lingering effects of the pandemic through 2022.The more impressive feat, though, is that 20...

Taylor Swift fans flocked to local transit after Friday’s curfew-defying Eras Tour show at Levi’s Stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:29 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Taylor Swift may be right that, “Nothin’ good starts in a getaway car.”The universe’s biggest pop music star has already proved a boon for several Bay Area public transit agencies, after Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour wrapped up at Levi’s Stadium Friday night — even though the three-hour, curfew-breaking show threw a small wrench into passenger wait times and train schedules.Concertgoers shared scenes of the post-show chaos on social media, as throngs of Swifties donning glittery cowboy hats and colorful friendship bracelets slowly migrated from Levi’s Station to nearby parking lots and transit stations on their journeys back home.Fortunately, it appears that no one was stranded at local stations — a feat local agencies are hoping will assure fans that they can rely on public transit once again for Saturday’s sold-out show.While Santa Clara County’s Valley Transportation Authority originally planned to run extra bus and ligh...