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Florida sheriff’s deputy hospitalized after patrol vehicle struck by lightning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — In a one-in-a-million incident, a Florida sheriff’s deputy found himself hospitalized after his patrol vehicle was struck by lightning while he was on duty in Walton County. The incident unfolded on Sunday, leaving the deputy’s vehicle inoperable and prompting a rapid response from emergency services.The Walton County Sheriff’s Office disclosed that the deputy was driving on a local road when the rare occurrence transpired. The powerful lightning strike directly impacted the patrol vehicle, leading to the immediate incapacitation of the vehicle’s electrical system. Following the lightning strike, the deputy was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by Walton County Fire Rescue. Despite the severity of the situation, the deputy remained awake and conscious. Authorities expressed their relief that he is expected to be OK.The Walton County Sheriff’s Office took to Facebook to share details of the incident. “Storms can be u...

Colombia advances to Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the first time after victory over Jamaica

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

(CNN) — Colombia reached the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s history after a nervy 1-0 victory over Jamaica in Melbourne on Tuesday.Catalina Usme brilliantly scored the winner and, in the process, became the first player at this tournament to break Jamaica’s stubborn defense.The Colombians’ reward is a last eight tie against reigning European champion and world No.4 England in Sydney on Saturday, a match the South American team has the talent to win despite there being 21 places between the two sides in the world rankings.Colombia and Jamaica’s unlikely journeys to the knockout stages will be a major reason why this tournament will be regarded as a success. After all, what is sporting romance if it isn’t the traditional powerhouses faltering and the underdogs thriving against the odds?With these two teams having been accustomed to largely playing against countries expected to beat them in the group stages, both struggled to take the initiative in ...

Poland goes to war (verbally) with Europe’s conservative chief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

A political war is brewing between Poland’s nationalist leader and the head of the biggest pan-European conservative party as the two grapple over control of the EU’s right wing.Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday challenged Manfred Weber — leader of the European People’s Party, a collection of center-right parties from across the EU — to a debate after Weber dismissed Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party as a rule-of-law truant that wants to harm the EU.“He called us his enemies,” Morawiecki said in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that blasted the German politician. “Enough of that. If the Germans openly admit that they will interfere in the elections in Poland, let them stand with an open visor.”He added: “I am calling for a debate. I will send details today.”The Polish leader suggested October 2, right before the Polish elections. Weber, however, quickly dismissed the invite to a verbal duel — “No, we stay t...

Tim Anderson leaves the Chicago White Sox’s 5-1 win over the New York Yankees with a bruised left forearm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson hasn’t had the greatest week.Knocked down in his fight Saturday with Cleveland Guardians star José Ramírez. Mocked on Twitter in a viral video of the fight. Suspended for six games and fined $20,000 by MLB on Monday for starting the brawl.And then plunked on the left arm by New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole on Monday night, forcing him to leave a 5-1 Sox win with a bruised left forearm.Hit by Cole in the third inning, Anderson appeared to be in considerable pain as he headed to first base. But he continued playing, taking a called third strike in the fifth in his next at-bat.Manager Charlie Montoyo — subbing for Pedro Grifol, who was suspended for one game for his role in the brawl — sent Zach Remillard to pinch-hit for Anderson in the eighth.Field coordinator Mike Tosar, subbing for Montoyo in the postgame briefing because Montoyo preferred not to speak, said Anderson’s arm tightened up in the seventh. Th...

Woman critically injured by rare shark bite off NYC’s Rockaway Beach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman was critically injured when a shark bit her on the leg while she was swimming at a New York City beach, officials said.The 50-year-old woman was swimming off Rockaway Beach just before 6 p.m. Monday when a shark bit her on the left leg, the city parks department said in a statement.Lifeguards pulled the woman from the water and administered first aid. The woman was taken to Jamaica Hospital in critical but stable condition with severe lacerations to her thigh, a police spokesperson said.Lifeguards cleared all swimmers from the water, and the police used a helicopter to search the area for sharks but did not find any, the parks department said.Rockaway Beach was closed to swimming and surfing on Tuesday as a precaution.Experts say shark bites are extremely rare, with only 57 unprovoked bites last year, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File.The shark bite occurred amid a rise in shark sightings at New York City and Long Island...

Ukraine says Russia targeted rescue workers with a ‘double tap’ missile strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials on Tuesday accused the Kremlin’s forces of targeting rescue workers as the death toll from two Russian missile strikes that slammed into residential buildings in the downtown area of a Ukrainian city climbed to seven.The dead in the Monday evening strikes in the city of Pokrovsk were five civilians, one rescuer and one soldier, Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said. Dozens more were wounded, most of them police officers, emergency workers and soldiers who had rushed to the scene to assist residents.The Russian missiles slammed into the center of Pokrovsk, which is in the eastern Donetsk region that is partially occupied by Russia. Emergency crews were still removing rubble at the scene on Tuesday. The Iskander missiles, which have an advanced guidance system that increases their accuracy, hit within 40 minutes of each other, according to Kyrylenko.Russia has since the start of the war aimed artillery and missiles at the exact same spot it struck ...

Two years after Olympics drama Belarus-born Tsimanouskaya to run for Poland in 3 track worlds events

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Now cleared to run for Poland after her drama at the Tokyo Olympics, Belarus-born sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya is representing her new country in three events at the world championships this month.The Polish track federation said Tuesday that Tsimanouskaya is being selected for the 100 meters, 200 and 4×100 relay. She became eligible for her adopted country Sunday. The track and field worlds are held Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.Tsimanouskaya has lived in Poland since Belarus team officials tried to remove her from the Tokyo Olympics two years ago during a crackdown on dissent by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.She had run in the 100 heats but, before the heats of her favored 200, she criticized team officials on social media for putting her in the 4×400 relay team against her wishes. She did not train for or compete at the longer distance.When Belarus officials tried to force her to board a flight out of Tokyo, Tsimanouskaya plead...

FAA warns of safety hazard from overheating engine housing on Boeing Max jets during anti-icing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

U.S. regulators are warning airlines to limit the use of an anti-icing system on Boeing 737 Max jets in dry air to avoid overheating engine-housing parts, which could cause them to break away from the plane.The Federal Aviation Administration says the risk to the flying public is serious enough that it will put the order into effect in just 15 days, and without allowing public comment first.The FAA said if the engine inlet gets too hot, parts of the housing could come off and strike a window, causing decompression and a hazard to passengers in window seats.The finding affects LEAP-1B engines used on all versions of the Max. The engines are made by CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and France’s Safran.In 2018, a Southwest Airlines passenger died after part of the engine housing on an older version of Boeing’s 737 jet flew off and broke the window next to her seat. That engine failure started with a broken fan blade.The FAA said there have been no...

Tim Hortons drives double-digit sales growth at RBI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

Restaurant Brands International Inc. is reporting double-digit sales growth amid higher revenues at Tim Hortons and Burger King.In the quarter ended June 30, the company says global comparable sales increased 10 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier, led by even higher gains at Tim Hortons in Canada and Burger King International.RBI says net income in its second quarter nudged up 1.4 per cent to US$351 million from US$346 million the year before, despite higher operating expenses.The coffee and donut chain’s parent company, which reports in U.S. dollars, is posting a revenue boost to US$1.78 billion from US$1.68 billion a year earlier.On an adjusted basis, RBI is reporting diluted earnings per share of 85 cents versus 82 cents per share from the year before — well above analyst expectations of 77 cents per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.Consolidated system-wide sales jumped 14 per cent year over year and the number of net restaurants ...

News publishers, broadcasters call for investigation into Meta’s news blocking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:35 GMT

TORONTO — A group of Canadian news publishers and broadcasters are calling on Canada’s Competition Bureau to investigate and prohibit Meta from blocking news content on its digital platforms.Social media giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has said it will begin blocking news on its platforms in Canada starting today after the Canadian government passed a bill forcing Google and Meta to pay publishers for content they link to or repurpose.News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and CBC say in a joint statement  they have filed a request to the Competition Bureau to investigate Meta’s “abuse of its dominant position.”They say the practices of the social media giant are “anticompetitive” as they will prevent Canadian news companies from accessing the advertising market and significantly reduce their visibility to Canadians on social media platforms.The news publishers and broadcasters say they are calling on the Competition ...