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Minnesota seeks unifying symbol to replace state flag considered offensive to Native Americans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A state commission went to work Tuesday on designing a new state flag and seal for Minnesota to replace a current emblem in both that’s considered offensive to Native Americans.One of the main elements of Minnesota’s state flag includes a prominent state seal against a blue background. The seal depicts a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with his rifle leaning on a nearby stump. The imagery suggests to many that the Indigenous people were defeated and going away, while whites won and were staying. Not only do the state’s Dakota and Ojibwe tribes consider that offensive, but experts in the scientific and scholarly study of flags — known as vexillology — say it’s an overly complicated design. Guidelines from the North American Vexillological Association say flags should be simple but meaningful, with just a few colors, easily recognizable from a distance, and without seals or lettering. The assoc...

Tropical Storm Lee forms in Atlantic, forecast to become major hurricane heading to the Caribbean

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Lee formed Tuesday in the Atlantic Ocean and was forecast to become a major hurricane as it approaches the Caribbean, forecasters said.The storm was located some 1,315 miles (2,115) kilometers east of the Lesser Antilles late Tuesday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 16 mph (26 Kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.It was forecast to strengthen into an “extremely dangerous” hurricane by Friday as it moves over very warm waters and pass just northeast of the Caribbean region, the center said.Preliminary forecasts are not predicting any landfall, although the center warned that “it is too early to determine exactly how close this system will be to the Leeward Islands.”Lee is the twelfth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.In August, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration updated its forecast and warned that t...

Design approved for memorial to the victims and survivors of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The permanent memorial to the victims and survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history will feature 58 candle-like beams under a plan officials in Las Vegas approved Tuesday.With the design officially in place, Clark County commissioners will shift their focus to selecting a nonprofit that will oversee fundraising and the construction and maintenance of the project. It took years to get to this point in the process and could take years more before the memorial is unveiled at the site of the attack on the Las Vegas Strip.The commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with the design recommended by the 1 October Memorial Committee, which was formed in 2019 to develop a design concept. The committee, which was dissolved Tuesday after commissioners voted, included a survivor and the sister of one of the 60 people who were killed in the October 2017 shooting.“We are grateful to the design teams, family members, survivors and everyone who participat...

India envoy ‘very satisfied’ by Canada response to threats by Sikh separatist groups

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

OTTAWA — India’s envoy to Canada says he is satisfied the federal government is adequately protecting his country’s diplomats, after New Delhi raised concerns for their safety earlier this year.Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma also says he’s optimistic both countries can circumvent heated diaspora politics to form closer ties.“Freedom has both sides of the coin, and it’s a delicate balance, which has to be maintained by society,” Verma told The Canadian Press in a wide-ranging interview Aug. 31.Canada and India have disagreed for years about Ottawa’s response to a long-standing Indian separatist movement that has supporters across this country but things escalated earlier this year when police were asked to investigate alleged death threats against Indian diplomats in Canada.Those threats arose following the murder of a gurdwara leader in Surrey, B.C., which some in the Sikh community say was a politically motivated attack.Police ...

United Airlines says the outage that held up departing flights was not a cybersecurity issue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

United Airlines said Tuesday that a software update triggered a glitch that forced it to halt departures nationwide, briefly crippling one of the nation’s biggest carriers on a busy travel day.Federal officials said United crews had been unable to contact airline dispatchers through normal means. “A software update caused a widespread slowdown in United’s technology systems,” United said in a statement. The airline said it was not a cybersecurity issue.The Federal Aviation Administration, which runs the nation’s airspace, said United asked it to stop the airline’s departures nationwide. The FAA said the issue was limited to United and its subsidiaries. The ground stop — it did not affect planes already in the air, United said — lasted a little more than an hour.By late afternoon Tuesday on the East Coast, United had canceled only seven flights, well below its average of about 16 per day over the busy Labor Day weekend, according to figures from tracking service FlightAwa...

Joe Jonas files for divorce from Sophie Turner, marriage 'irretrievably broken'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

(KTLA) – It's over for Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. Jonas has reportedly filed for divorce from the "Game of Thrones" actress after four years of marriage. According to court documents obtained by Today.com and PEOPLE, Jonas filed a petition for dissolution of marriage on Tuesday in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The document states "the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken." Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell dead at 56, band confirms It was noted that the pair have a prenuptial agreement. Joe Jonas, left, and Sophie Turner arrive at the second annual Academy Museum gala at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Oct. 15, 2022, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/Associated Press)The petition also mentions that the couple's two children have been living with Jonas in Miami and other cities throughout the country. Jonas is currently on tour with his brothers. However, the documents read that "it is in the best interests of the minor children that the parties have shared...

Connor Bedard takes another step toward making his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — When the Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the first pick in the draft earlier this summer, the player considered hockey's next superstar slipped on his new team's jersey over a dress shirt and tie.Bedard got his latest welcome-to-the-NHL moment Tuesday, skating around on the ice in the Blackhawks' home red jersey and his new team's full gear for the first time at the Players' Association's rookie showcase. From the draft through development camp and signing his entry-level contract on his birthday, the event was Bedard's latest step toward making his pro debut.“Just to be with this organization and city and everything, it’s a dream come true,” Bedard said. “Growing up watching them and seeing kind of their (Stanley Cup) runs was pretty cool, so to put the jersey on is really special.”Just like Bedard wouldn't say anything publicly about going to Chicago until general manager Kyle Davidson called his name, th...

RSV rising in one US region, CDC issues alert

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Respiratory syncytial virus – better known by the acronym RSV – is rising in some southeastern U.S. states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday, signaling the virus could begin spreading widely nationwide soon. RSV causes cold-like symptoms for most people, but can be scary for infants, young children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. The virus kills between 100 and 300 children under 5 and as many as 10,000 people over 65 annually, according to CDC estimates. Other than a few atypical years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSV season usually starts in fall and peaks in winter. The virus also has a history of starting to spread in Florida, before spreading to other southeastern states, then eventually northward and westward. That appears to be the case again this year. In recent weeks more patients have been testing positive for the virus in Florida and Georgia, the CDC said in an alert issued Tuesday. 26 states se...

More on Jimmy Buffett's little-known skin cancer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

Doctors say early detection is the key to helping patients live longer. Jimmy Buffett was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma four years ago. But the little-known form of skin cancer has a high rate of recurrence and when it spreads, survival rates plummet. Dr Jessica Sheehan is with Derick Dermatology.“Jimmy Buffett is the classic island lifestyle fair-skinned man,” she said.His lifestyle – and age and skin type -- likely played a role in his cancer diagnosis. Related: Cause of death revealed for ‘Margaritaville’ singer Jimmy Buffett “The classic presentation is fair skinned older man or woman on the head and neck,” Sheehan said.Merkel cell carcinoma stands out among more common forms of skin cancer.“They usually start off looking like a sore or a pimple,” Sheehan said. “The key to a Merkel cell is they change quickly they are rapidly growing as opposed to a benign sore or some of the less aggressive skin cancers.” Recent from Med Watch: Emerging technique offers less invasive...

Skilling: Showers Tuesday night with a windy, humid Wednesday waiting for Chicagoland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:51 GMT

Another HOT ONE in Chicago! Temps are likely to top out at 93-deg making this the 20th day at O'Hare at or above 90-deg this year---18 at Midway.  HEAT INDICES have average in the mid 90s Tuesday given dew points which are high—ranging from the upper 60s to low 70s.Also of note, this is the SUNNIEST OPENING 5 DAYS OF A SEPT in the 68 years since 1955, reports Frank Wachowski. Sept 2023 has opened with 95% of its possible sun. Sept 1-5, 1955 opening with 97% of its possible sun.  A preliminary estimate of sun today came in at 83% of that which is possible.  Clouds have moved in late  this afternoon and it wouldn't be surprising to see the sunshine estimate revised down a bit before the sun sets Tuesday evening.It hasn't rained officially here in 19 days—though weather radars locally are aglow with some showers—so that may changeThe drier than normal weather to date may be having an impact is stressing trees here leading to a color change earlier than might ot...