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Sweltering heat tests Texas’ power grid and patience as thousands in South still without electricity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ power grid operator asked residents Tuesday to voluntarily cut back on electricity due to anticipated record demand on the system as a heat wave kept large swaths of the state and southern U.S. in triple-digit temperatures. On the last day of spring, the sweltering heat felt more like the middle of summer across the South, where patience was growing thin over outages that have persisted since weekend storms and tornadoes caused widespread damage.In the Mississippi capital, some residents said Tuesday that they had been without power and air conditioning for almost 100 hours, which is longer than the outages caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Entergy Mississippi, the state’s largest electric utility, said its crews had worked 16-hour shifts since Friday, but some officials expressed doubts about its preparedness.High temperatures in the state were expected to reach 90 degrees (32 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday. “The delay in restoring power has caused...

CSIS warned B.C. Sikh temple leader of assassination threat before killing: lawyer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

A close associate of Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar says his friend was warned by Canadian intelligence officials about being targeted for assassination by “mercenaries” before Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday. New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun says in a statement he spoke with Nijjar by phone the day before he was killed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh gurdwara where he served as president. Pannun says Nijjar spoke about an unofficial Khalistan referendum vote seeking a separate Sikh state they had been organizing, and threats to their safety related to a reward being offered by the Indian government for Nijjar’s apprehension. He says Nijjar told him that “gangsters” said they were both on a hit list, and that Nijjar received a call days later from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warning that his life was in danger. Pannun, who is general counsel to the advocacy group Sikhs For Justice, says he has no dou...

What we know so far on the Willowbrook Juneteenth mass shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

WILLOWBROOK, Ill. — One man is dead and at least 22 others were injured after a shooting erupted at a Juneteenth celebration being held at an unincorporated Willowbrook Strip Mall early Sunday morning.Here is what we know so far:Man fatally shot identifiedAccording to the DuPage County Coroner's Office, 31-year-old Reginald Meadows was identified Monday morning as the man who was fatally shot during the Willowbrook Juneteenth Mass Shooting.Reginald 'Reggie' Meadows, man fatally shot in Willowbrook Juneteenth Mass Shooting.Meadows leaves behind two children. A family friend set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his funeral costs and provide a financial safety net for his children. Community comes together to support children of man killed in Willowbrook Juneteenth mass shooting Victim speaks from hospital bedFor 23-year-old Mariah Dixon, a fun time with friends Saturday night, turned into terror Sunday morning."All of a sudden, we heard shots and that's when everyone began scatter...

Progress in Stephen Smith homicide investigation: Attorney

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

(NewsNation) — "Substantial" progress is being made in the homicide investigation of Stephen Smith, according to attorney Eric Bland.Smith’s death was ruled a hit-and-run after his body was found in the middle of a road in 2015, but the case is now being reinvestigated. The investigation into Smith’s death was reopened in 2021, and it was ruled a homicide in March 2023. Investigators did not reveal the news about reopening Smith's case until after the conclusion of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial. There is no known evidence linking any Murdaugh family members to Smith’s death.Eric Bland, the attorney for the family of Smith, also said that officials hint that grand jury is empaneled. ‘We got results’ from Stephen Smith’s autopsy, cousin says "I think the fact that they've convened the grand jury is very promising," said criminal defense attorney Ken Belkin, who discussed the case Tuesday on NewsNation's "Banfield." "It means that someone in the prosecutor's of...

Walmart clamps down on tuna supply chain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

(WKBN) -- Walmart has announced that it is tightening standards on its tuna supply chain. Walmart and Sam's Club last week announced stronger standards aimed at addressing issues that threaten the ocean ecosystem, such as illegal fishing and abandoned fishing equipment. Citing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Walmart stated that "because of systemic issues like illegal and destructive fishing, over one-third of the world’s fisheries are now operating at unsustainable levels."Saying they are seeking to improve transparency and data gathering, the retailers want tuna suppliers to only use as sources vessels that have 100% monitoring as well as fisheries using "zero high seas transshipment." Transshipment is the transfer of fish or fish products from one vessel to another at sea or in port. High seas transshipment is one of the main ways that illegally caught fish gets to market. Why do so many Walmart products contain traces of fish? Viral TikTok alarms ...

Tom Cruise discusses the latest 'Mission: Impossible' film at its Rome premiere

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

ROME — It was a big moment for one of the world's most popular actors on Tuesday in Italy as his latest in a series of action films was seen by an audience for the first time. Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated actor Tom Cruise was at the Rome premiere of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning" on June 19, close to where some of the scenes from the movie were filmed. It's the seventh in the "Mission: Impossible" film series, all of which have featured cruise, and is the first in the two-part "Dead Reckoning" series. It's set to be released in theatres worldwide on July 12 with Part 2 set to premiere on June 28, 2024. On the red carpet, Cruise talked about the making of the film that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and what specifically stands out to him about this latest project.Dean Richards has more on what the actor talked about in Rome this week at the premiere of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part 1" on the WGN Morning News on June 20 in the video above or b...

Woman accused in 2018 murder-for-hire plot pleads guilty to conspiracy charge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A woman connected with a 2018 murder-for-hire plot pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit capital murder Tuesday.Jaclyn Edison, who was 19 at the time, is accused of conspiring with her husband, Nicolas Shaughnessy, who hired two men – Arieon Smith and Johnny Leon – to kill Nicolas’ father, Ted Shaughnessy, owner of Gallerie Jewelers in Austin. Smith, Nicolas and Leon all pleaded guilty to the murder as part of a plea agreement in 2021 and were sentenced to 35 years in prison.Edison, the former daughter-in-law of Ted, was the final defendant indicted in the case. KXAN Digital Reporter Sam Stark is in the courtroom and will have live updates below:Tweets by SamCStark Background Ted Shaughnessy was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on March 2, 2018, after an intruder entered the home. His son, Nicolas, was the sole beneficiary of $2 million if one of his parents were to die, according to a search warrant.According to 2018 police documents, Nicolas, who at th...

‘Secret Invasion’ benefits from Samuel L. Jackson, strong supporting cast | TV review

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe series feels almost rooted in reality.No multiverse travelers.No galaxy-hopping adventures.No wildly powerful superheroes.OK, OK, there ARE pointy-eared, shape-shifting aliens at the heart of the conflict in “Secret Invasion” — an hourlong show debuting June 21 on Disney+ with the first of six weekly episodes — but we did say “almost.”And hey, the presence of those beings, the Skrulls, who can look just like us, lends something to this espionage drama boasting a gritty cinematic feel and built around a longtime MCU player, Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury.Formerly the director of the government agency S.H.I.E.L.D., the typically one-step-ahead-of-everyone Fury has been working for decades to find a new world for the Skrulls — introduced in 2019’s “Captain Marvel” — after they lost theirs in their war with another race, the Kree.Brie Larson rules in ‘Captain Marvel,’ a decent, lighter adventure bridging ‘Avengers’ epics | Movi...

Charter school settles human rights complaint by former 9th-grader who was sexually assaulted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

A Vadnais Heights charter school will pay $325,000 to a student who was sexually assaulted by a teacher and school leaders must make changes to ensure future incidents are reported under a settlement agreement announced Tuesday.The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said in a statement that the Academy for Sciences and Agriculture, a K-12 charter school, was aware that in 2019 a teacher had inappropriate interactions with a ninth-grader, but failed to intervene leading to him sexually harassing and assaulting the student.The student, identified by her initials E.D., said students are “told our whole lives that school staff are the people we’re supposed to go to when we feel unsafe, but there was no safe place, and the result caused significant damage.” E.D. added that teachers and staff should have known she was vulnerable and acted to protect her.“It is not the victim’s responsibility to make the change, but if the change involves protecting yourself it is absolutely ...

Shatner, 'Picard' actors coming to 'Trekonderoga'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:39:57 GMT

TICONDEROGA, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Summer in Ticonderoga is a time for lakeside visits, local history, and bold journeys to where no man has gone before. "Trekonderoga," the "Star Trek: The Original Series" Set Tour experience, will be welcoming some special guests this summer - inviting new explorers to a classic set. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Trekonderoga" is set to host "Star Trek: Picard" stars Jonathan Frakes, John De Lancie, Ed Speleers, and Brent Spiner across the weekend of Friday-Sunday, Aug. 18-20. Visitors can chat with the actors, who will lead tours of the replica U.S.S. Enterprise. Photo ops and autographs are also being offered. The "Star Trek: The Original Series" Set Tour has welcomed various "Star Trek" actors to Ticonderoga over the years, including William Shatner on several occasions. Shatner's next appearance is set for the weekend of July 7-9. Where to see live music in Lake George in 2023 The repl...