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Librarian gathering in Chicago includes training to battle book bans in communities and schools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Book bans and how to fight them will be a major focus of the American Library Association’s annual meeting this weekend in Chicago.Librarians may attend sessions aimed at helping them confidently counter book challenges, fight legislative censorship and ensure “access to information and the freedom to read.” All day Saturday, attendees are invited to climb atop a giant chair to read their favorite banned book. “With an unparalleled rise in challenges and bans and legislation suppressing access to books and learning materials in libraries, schools, and universities, it is more important than ever to join forces in the fight against banning books!” the event description reads.The conference brings together authors, educators and librarians as several states push to restrict access to books in schools and libraries, overwhelmingly those about race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ topics. The association in March released data showing a record 1,269 demands to cens...

11 passengers injured evacuating Cathay Pacific jet after aborted takeoff in Hong Kong

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A Cathay Pacific jetliner aborted its takeoff at Hong Kong International Airport early Saturday, and 11 passengers were injured while evacuating the aircraft, the airline said.Flight CX880, bound for Los Angeles, returned to the gate after a “technical issue” caused the crew to abort the takeoff and “a precautionary passenger evacuation” was initiated, the airline said in a statement. It said those on board used five escape slides to exit the plane.Cathay Pacific gave no details on the problem. Public broadcaster RTHK reported one of the plane’s tires had overheated, causing it to burst, citing police.The flight was carrying 293 passengers and 17 crew members.“We understand that 11 passengers are being treated at the hospital with injuries sustained during the evacuation process,” Cathay Pacific said. “Our priority is to look after all affected passengers and crew.”By 10:30 a.m., nine of the injured passengers had been discharged from the hospital, the airline ...

US and Canada start the process of determining how the Titanic-bound submersible imploded

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

Authorities from the U.S. and Canada began the process of investigating the cause of the fatal Titan submersible implosion even as they grappled with questions of who was responsible for determining how the tragedy unfolded.A formal inquiry has not yet been launched because maritime agencies are still busy searching the area where the vessel was destroyed, killing all five people aboard, the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday. Debris was located about 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) underwater, several hundred feet away from the Titanic wreckage it was on its way to explore. The U.S. Coast Guard led the initial search and rescue mission, which was a massive international effort that likely cost millions of dollars.It was not entirely clear Friday who would have the authority to lead what is sure to be a complex investigation involving several countries. OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owned and operated the Titan, is based in the U.S. but the submersible was registered in the Bahamas. ...

Analysis: Donald Trump’s war on truth confronts another test with voters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The cherry tree folklore is too good to be true, but it’s no lie that George Washington had a thing for the truth. “I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is the best policy,” he wrote in his farewell address.A few decades later, another future president’s reputation for veracity earned him a well known nickname: Honest Abe Lincoln.Then there’s Donald Trump, who during his presidency faced questions about business dealings in Moscow. “I have nothing to do with Russia,” he said in 2016. He switched stories when the facts of his decades-long effort to build a luxury tower there emerged. “Everybody” had always known about the project, according to Trump, who suggested only a sucker would drop such a proposal just because they wanted to serve their country as president.“Why should I lose lots of opportunities?” Trump said.America has had prevaricators in the Oval Office before, but never one who has been at...

Taylor Swift’s awe-inspiring Eras Tour never failed to amaze at the Vikings stadium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

For those wondering, there are many reasons why Taylor Swift’s pair of weekend U.S. Bank Stadium concerts have dominated the news cycle this week and they were all on display during her magnificent opening night performance Friday.For starters, she’s one of the most accomplished, thoughtful and savvy entertainers of the century. It’s easy to appreciate her merely for her strong songwriting, but she’s also a powerful performer who has always given her audiences more than they had ever imagined.Taylor Swift performs during her ‘Eras Tour’ concert at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday, June 23, 2023. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)Friday, she went the extra mile once again, and then kept on driving. With a running time of more than three hours and an audience of about 64,000, it was epic on a scale never before seen in a pop music concert. It’s easily the most spectacular stadium tour ever. Yes, I said ever.Her current outing — dubbed the Eras T...

5-year-old killed, teen hospitalized in South L.A. hit-and-run crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

A hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles killed a 5-year-old girl and left a 17-year-old girl in critical condition.The deadly crash involved a family of four and happened at the intersection of Main Street and Colden Avenue around 7:45 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.The victims were identified as a 32-year-old mother, her two children —  a 5-year-old and a 14-year-old — and her 17-year-old niece.Security video captured the violent collision as the suspect driver, Pedro Murillo, 26, is seen speeding down the road and running a red light before slamming into the victims’ car.The impact sent the family's vehicle spinning down the road as nearby witnesses are seen running over to help.A violent hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles left a 5-year-old girl dead and a 17-year-old girl in critical condition on June 20, 2023. (Los Angeles Police Department)A violent hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles left a 5-year-old girl dead and a 17-year-old girl in critical c...

Glendale food truck stabbing suspects arrested after standoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

Suspects wanted for a food truck stabbing that left two people hospitalized in Glendale were arrested Thursday following an hours-long standoff.The suspects were identified as Jerald Zaroukian, 23, from Northridge, and Guadalupe Reyna, 28, from Bakersfield, by the Glendale Police Department.On Wednesday night, officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the 300 block of West Broadway around 11 p.m.Armed with knives, the two suspects approached a food truck before a fight broke out shortly after, police said. During the scuffle, an unidentified victim was stabbed. A nearby customer tried to intervene and was also stabbed by the suspects, authorities said.The men fled the scene before police arrived. Both victims were both transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.Once officers positively identified the suspects, they tracked the men to a home in Northridge. A SWAT team was called in as the men refused to evacuate the residence.Suspects Jerald Zaroukian and ...

Longoria homers in return to Oracle Park, but SF Giants get last laugh to beat NL West leaders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Evan Longoria, who called Oracle Park home for five seasons, hammered a 436-foot home run onto the netting in center field on the second pitch he saw Friday night in his return with the Arizona Diamondbacks. His former teammates took the slugging from there, though.A line drive shot from rookie catcher Patrick Bailey, who hadn’t played above High-A during Longoria’s tenure in a Giants uniform, put the finishing touches on a five-run sixth inning that proved to be the difference in the San Francisco’s 8-5 win to start a three-game weekend series against the leaders of the National League West.With their 11th win in their past 12 games, the Giants (43-33) pulled within 2½ games of the D-backs (46-31) for the division lead. Brandon Crawford made a sensational diving play behind the bag at second base to record the final out, clinching Camilo Doval’s National League-leading 21st save.After scoring at least seven runs in seven of the first eight ga...

Kansas’ GOP attorney general moves to block transgender people from changing their birth certificates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ GOP attorney general moves to block transgender people from changing their birth certificates.Source

Conforto drives in 4 runs to back Webb in the Giants’ 8-5 victory over the Diamondbacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Michael Conforto hit a pair of two-run doubles, Patrick Bailey homered to back Logan Webb’s third straight winning start and the San Francisco Giants beat the road-weary Arizona Diamondbacks 8-5 on Friday night.Webb (7-6) gave up four runs on five hits, struck out five with two walks in his latest gem. The Giants are 4-0 over his last four outings, winning for the 11th time in 12 games dating to June 11.J.D. Davis hit a tying double in the fifth to make it 4-4 and chase Arizona right-hander Zach Davies (1-4), who lost his third straight start.Corbin Carroll had an RBI groundout in the top of the fifth that briefly put Arizona ahead before Conforto came through again.Evan Longoria homered in the second against his former San Francisco club. But with runners on second and third and two outs in the eighth, Tyler Rogers retired Longoria on a called third strike to escape the threat. Camilo Doval pitched the ninth for his 21st save, getting shortstop Brandon Crawford...