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EU border agency to scrutinize events leading to Greek migrant shipwreck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

The EU Border and Coast Guard Agency will compile a report on the capsized boat carrying migrants off the coast of Greece, which resulted in the deaths of potentially hundreds in one of the worst shipwrecks in Europe in a decade. The agency, known as Frontex, initiated a “serious incident report” (SIR) on Thursday, requiring the agency’s fundamental rights officers to record potential human rights violations, an agency spokesperson told POLITICO. While the process is not an investigation — Frontex does not have the ability to investigate incidents — the report allows the agency to gather all available details surrounding the fatal incident. The report can then be shared with investigative bodies or be part of recommendations to other bodies, such as the European Parliament. According to the UN’s refugee and migration agencies, UNHCR and IOM, anywhere from 400 to 750 migrants were on board the overcrowded fishing boat ...

Gun violence cited in call to revisit state laws

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

Resolving to “show up” for youth and bolster safety for all Massachusetts communities, about two dozen gun violence prevention activists gathered outside the State House Thursday demanding that elected leaders pass stronger gun control laws to crack down on what they described as a public health crisis.Not one more life should be lost to gun violence, Ruth Zakarin, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, said at a press conference that also included representatives from Stop Handgun Violence, Moms Demand Action, and the Giffords and Brady groups.Zakarin said there have been fatal shootings so far this year in Boston, Springfield, Fall River, Waltham, Mansfield, Brockton, Randolph, Holyoke, Lawrence, Worcester, Rochester, New Bedford, Andover and Methuen.“For far too many neighborhoods in Massachusetts and communities right here in Boston, the sound of gunfire is way too common,” she said.Invoking the one-year anniversary of ...

Wizards sending Chris Paul to Warriors in exchange for Jordan Poole: reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

The Washington Wizards are continuing their busy offseason.The Wizards are sending 12-time All-Star guard Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for guard Jordan Poole, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Wizards will also receive a protected 2030 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick from Golden State in the deal.Check back for more details. ()

FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

By MATTHEW PERRONE (AP Health Writer)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it has sent warning letters to dozens of retailers selling fruit- and candy-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, including the current best-selling brand, Elf Bar.It’s the latest attempt by regulators to crack down on illegal disposable vapes that have poured into U.S. stores in recent years.Last month, the FDA issued orders allowing customs officials to seize shipments of Elf Bar, Esco Bar and two other brands at U.S. ports. None of the products have received FDA authorization and they come in flavors like cotton candy, which regulators say can appeal to teenagers.In the latest action, the FDA said it issued warnings to 189 convenience stores, vape shops and other retailers.“We’re not going to stand by as bad actors are profiting off the sale of illegal products that are addicting our nation’s youth,” Brian King, the FDA’s tobacco center di...

A Titanic expert, an adventurer, a CEO, and a father and son were killed in Titan’s implosion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

By MARK PRATT (Associated Press)BOSTON (AP) — A renowned Titanic expert, a world record-holding adventurer, two members of one of Pakistan’s wealthiest families and the CEO of the company leading an expedition to the world’s most famous shipwreck were killed aboard the Titan submersible when it imploded in the Atlantic Ocean sometime this week.The U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday said there were no survivors after the catastrophic implosion deep in the North Atlantic. The search for the submersible and its occupants — as well as any clues to explain what happened underwater — were ongoing Thursday after a deep-sea robot found debris near the Titanic shipwreck.The Titan was reported overdue Sunday night about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center, spurring a desperate international rescue effort. Rescuers raced against the clock because it was feared the oxygen supply ...

George and Martha Washington were early fans of ice cream. Try this Mount Vernon recipe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

By Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)Ice cream has been a quintessential summer treat for generations, whether you prefer a twist of soft-serve chocolate and vanilla on a cake cone or two scoops of gourmet mint chip stacked on a hand-rolled waffle.But back in the 18th century, the treat brought to America by the French was a rich man’s dessert.You can’t make ice cream without three key ingredients — ice, salt and sugar — that most colonial families simply could not afford. Ice required a separate icehouse to store chunks of ice cut on a nearby river or creek in winter. Sugar and salt were expensive commodities imported from the Caribbean. Colonial home cooks would also have to own at least one cow whose milk the family didn’t need to sell to make cream.Mount Vernon’s recipe for homemade strawberry ice cream is adapted from a cookbook from the 18th century. It’s a bit fluffier than today’s hard ice cream. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)Our n...

Twins’ Joe Ryan pitches complete-game shutout of Red Sox to split series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

If you thought Wednesday night’s extra-inning loss felt like a momentum killer, your instinct was right on the money.The Red Sox’s feast-or-famine season continued on Thursday, as they continued their unfortunate habit of making losing teams look like well-oiled winning machines. The Colorado Rockies, for example, lost eight in a row after winning the series at Fenway Park last week.And after taking the first pair of the four-game set in dominant fashion, the Red Sox lost 6-0 to the Twins, to settle for a series split.Every time they seem to turn a corner, they turn back again.The Twins teed off against Justin Garza and Brandon Walter, taking an early lead they’d never relinquish.Garza opened the game (technically his first career MLB start), and allowed three earned runs on four hits. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton got Minnesota on the board in the first with a pair of over 400-foot solo home runs.Making his major league debut, Walter struggled early on, but ultim...

Live updates | Pakistan offers condolences to family of father and son aboard imploded Titan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

By The Associated PressFollow along for live updates on the submersible that vanished while taking five people down to the wreck of the Titanic.___PAKISTAN OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY OF FATHER AND SON ABOARD IMPLODED SUBMERSIBLEPakistan has offered the country’s condolences to the Dawood family after the father-and-son explorers were among five killed when the Titan submersible imploded deep in the North Atlantic waters during a trip to the Titanic’s wreckage.Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman were aboard the Titan when it went missing Sunday. Authorities on Thursday said the catastrophic implosion meant there were no survivors.The Dawoods are members of one of Pakistan’s most prominent families and their firm, Dawood Hercules Corp., based in Karachi, is involved in agriculture, petrochemicals and telecommunication infrastructure.“Our deepest condolences to the Dawood family and the family of other passengers on the sad news about the f...

Social media is a poor source for young adults to cope with anxiety, study finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for mental health information was and still is staggeringly high, especially among young adults struggling with anxiety.But a pilot study conducted by Florida International University shows many may be seeking anxiety information in the wrong place: social media.Researchers found that, among those surveyed, only 18% reported their go-to social media accounts for anxiety information were run by health professionals.“It didn’t align with my original hypothesis, but it’s not shocking,” said FIU Ph.D student and a lead researcher Rebecca Wolenski. “Because I was feeling hopeful, I thought folks using social media as an information source would be positive, and the more you use the information source, the better your understanding would be. But it was just the opposite.”The study not only showed young adults were receiving unreliable information, but it also suggested social media users are unable to discern the difference between useful and harmful...

A starry, starry night in San Diego offers a summer salutation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:49:15 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A local photographer who's been known to let his creative instincts lead the way was guided by the Milky Way on Wednesday night, capturing another standstill moment.As the Summer Solstice came to an end at nightfall in San Diego County, the first night of the season brought with it a glitter-filled sky in the rural area of Santa Ysabel. Sea lion dances with bait ball near La Jolla shores Though usually called to the coast to snap marine activity or to capture the wonder of bioluminescent waves, Vishwas Lokesh grabbed his camera and headed east. He found himself gazing up at the summer sky from the Lake Henshaw View Point.This scenic overlook is a stopping point for many looking to take in the blues of the lake and greenery surrounding it. On the first night of summer, however, it proved to be a dim yet sparkling spectacle for this sky gazer with an artists' eye."I love Lake Henshaw, because of it's proximity to the city yet sustains the feeling of being in the woods a...