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Powerful earthquake strikes Morocco, damaging buildings and sending people into the streets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, damaging buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into streets and alleyways from the capital Rabat to Marrakech, the county’s most visited tourist destination.There was no immediate word on any casualties, nor any reports from government officials on the tremor’s impact.Moroccans posted videos showing some buildings turned to rubble and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in historic Marrakech damaged. Tourists and others posted videos of people evacuating restaurants in the city as throbbing club music played.The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m. (2211 GMT). Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale. Variations in early measurements are common, although either reading would be Morocco’s strongest in years. Though earthquakes are r...

Severe heat and heavy storms hit New England; fallen tree kills camper in Vermont

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The heat that has gripped much of the nation seeped into New England on Friday, forcing some schools to close or send kids home early while powerful thunderstorms also swept through the region.A Massachusetts man was killed early Friday when a tree fell on him during a storm while he was camping with his fiancee in Somerset, Vermont, police said. High winds downed downs tree limbs and power lines across the region, leaving tens of thousands without power in Massachusetts and Maine.The mayor of Boston declared a heat emergency with cooling centers opening around the city.In Lowell, Massachusetts, where none of the 28 schools have air conditioning, all classes remained closed on Friday for safety reasons. The temperature was expected to reach a high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), with the humidity making it feel like 95 F (35 C).Other schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire were also closed or sent students home early — and curtailed after...

Poilievre rallies Conservatives hungry for a ‘blue wave’ with stump speech, base hits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

QUEBEC — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tried painting himself as a prime minister in waiting in an election-style speech to party faithful Friday, filling it with messages he plans to take to Canadians, while throwing some red meat to his base. Poilievre’s more than hour-long address to the more than 2,500 supporters gathered for the party’s policy convention in Quebec City was the marquee event of the meet-up, which falls almost exactly to the day one year ago since he romped to a crushing first-ballot victory in the leadership race.It was his first address to a party convention as leader and was a highly anticipated event to see how he would paint a Conservative vision for the country. “I want to thank my own parents,” Poilievre said to a sea of supporters bathed in blue stage lights. “It’s because they made the decision to adopt me and work hard in front of a classroom that I now stand proudly in front of this room.” As he thanked ...

TIFF’23: Dumb Money is anything but dumb

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

The GameStop short squeeze of 2021 was a strange financial phenomenon. It taught many about the complexities of shorting (where investors essentially invest against the success of a stock) and a short squeeze (where the price of a stock is artificially inflated, and the investors who shorted it have to sell their stock as their shorting value decreases). Many regular people who weren’t on Wall Street continued to pour money into buying GameStop stock, mystifying many. This film breaks it down simply, and takes a complicated financial story and turns it into a human story.One of my favourite films I've seen at #TIFF23 is about a concept I don't completely understand, starring a massive ensemble cast showcasing one of the craziest news stories of 2021. Shout out to everyone involved with Dumb Money.— James Mackin @ TIFF 23 (@JamesMackin10) September 9, 2023Dumb Money dramatizes the short squeeze by focusing on a large ensemble cast with multiple viewpoints. It cent...

On ‘João’, Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto honors her late father, bossa nova giant João Gilberto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Since the start of her career, New York-born Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto has put out albums rooted in the South American nation’s rich musical history. And in the sound of her family, too — that of her late father, bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto. But she had never made it a point to record an album of his songs. Until now.Four years after his death, she decided it was time to reconnect with the biggest influence in her life and career. So she has released “João,” her first album made up entirely of songs composed or made famous by her father. “It is a love letter to him,” Gilberto told The Associated Press in a phone interview from her New York City apartment this week amid concerts on her current tour. “Do you know when you want to pay a tribute to someone and then you go to Instagram and write a long posting? I wanted to talk to him. My way of doing it was making this album.”“It is just that the time has come. I wanted his music to travel again,”...

Authorities respond to plane crash in Elk Grove Village

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

ELK GROVE VILLAGE Ill. — Authorities are investigating reports of a plane crash in Ned Brown Preserve, popularly known as Busse Woods, in Elk Grove Village on Friday evening.Police say a smaller corporate plane crashed in the forrest preserve and added that the pilot of the plane was able to walk away from the crash.Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash or if anyone else was on board at the time.This is a developing story, stay with WGN New for the latest updates.

Is sports betting worsening gambling habits of Americans?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

(NewsNation) — The NFL season has officially kicked off and that means a lot of fans are making bets. As more and more states are legalizing sports betting, some are raising concerns about whether this could worsen gambling addiction in America."We’re going to be bombarded" with sports gambling issues, said Andrew Brandt, professor of practice and executive director of the Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at Villanova Law School.Sports betting is legal in at least 30 states with a record $7.5 billion in revenue in 2022, according to the American Gaming Association. The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that any given year, two million Americans meet the criteria for severe gambling problems.Some fear that the figure may go up because of how accessible it now is.NewsNation spoke to a licensed counselor who said there needs to be more education and more treatment options because he believes it will be an epidemic."Gambling addiction has morphed into something tha...

LIVE: Westlake to honor huge senior class before district opener vs. Akins on Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Instead of honoring seniors at the end of the season, the Westlake Chaparrals will do it Friday before the 6A-District 26 opener against Akins at Chaparral Stadium.Westlake has 61 seniors on this year's team that has started the year 2-0, and the Chaps are fresh off a 47-0 systematic dismantling of Converse Judson last week. Akins, meanwhile, is in the midst of a 17-game losing streak dating back to 2021 and the Eagles have yet to score in two games this year. The last time Akins won was Sept. 30, 2021, when they topped Austin High 20-18.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteThe game will be streamed in the video player above and also on KXAN.com/Westlake for those in the KXAN viewing area free of charge. For those outside the viewing area, you'll have to watch the game through our official streaming partner NFHS Network. The...

Fullback Zarek Valentin and Loons community create way to help local kids with cancer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

Loons fullback Zarek Valentin arrived in Minnesota before the 2023 season with a strong reputation for giving back to his community — whether in his hometown of Lancaster, Pa., or in Portland, Ore., when he played for the Timbers, or in Houston, when he was a member of the Dynamo.“I feel like we need to use our platform for good as professional athletes,” Valentin told the Pioneer Press. “We can either choose to promote our own brand, or you can hopefully use your platform to bring light to other causes and other people who may not be as lucky or as blessed as we are.“I’m always trying to look at ways in which I can better the community around me.”Valentin, with encouragement from his wife, Liz, put together a collaboration with MNUFC, supporters groups in the Wonderwall and hat maker Official League. They came up with a black “Loon Lagoon” baseball hat with an image of a Loon catching a fish on a pole on the front with the message “and after all …” on the back — a nod to the Oasis ...

Students ease into first week of school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:26 GMT

SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Local students have made it through the first few days of the 2022-2023 school year. NEWS10 photojournalist David Miner visited his alma mater to see how the students and staff are settling in.Friday was Day 2 at South Glens Falls Senior High School, and with a new school year brings new memories for both students and staff. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! "This is a great week," Superintendent Kristine Orr said. "Starting off with two days really gets our students in the right mode to start school and then gives everyone a quick weekend break. So then the full weeks begin."For senior Rachel Jorgensen, that meant walking through the front doors for the first time the last time."It was kind of just like a non bittersweet, more sweet than bitter kind of thing. I was really excited to see my friends, really excited to see my teachers.""It's always exciting to come back because I get to see kids that I ha...