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Brother of gay American who was fatally attacked in Sydney in 1988 says police demonized family

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The brother of a gay American who was attacked and fell from a Sydney cliff top in 1988 said elements within local police had demonized their family over their pursuit of justice.An Australian man was sentenced to nine years in prison Thursday for killing Scott Johnson at the known gay haunt. His older brother Steve Johnson led the family’s efforts to overturn a coroner’s finding in 1989 that the openly gay mathematician had taken his own life.Steve Johnson told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday that evidence in a New South Wales state government inquiry into gay hate crimes had confirmed “our worst fears that the police were really not only opposed to the investigation but demonizing our family.”“It’s still a question mark why? Maybe they thought of Scott’s case as a tinderbox that would force them to work on the other 100 cases of gay men who died during the same period,” Steve Johnson said.“There are still some in the police force that are opposed...

Jury returns $63M verdict after finding Chevron covered up toxic pit on California land

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — A California jury has returned a $63 million verdict against Chevron after finding the oil giant covered up a toxic chemical pit on land purchased by a man who built a house on it and was later diagnosed with a blood cancer. Kevin Wright, who has multiple myeloma, unknowingly built his home directly over the chemical pit near Santa Barbara in 1985, according to his lawsuit. Starting in 1974, Chevron subsidiary Union Oil Company of California had operated a sump pit for oil and gas production, a process that left the carcinogenic chemical benzene on the property, court papers said. Wright bought the land and built the house in 1985. Nearly three decades later, he was diagnosed with the cancer that attacks plasma cells in the blood and can be caused by benzene exposure, court documents said. The jurors in Santa Barbara on Wednesday returned the $63 million verdict, said Jakob Norman, an attorney for Wright. Norman called the case a “blatant example of envi...

To restore reefs dying in warming seas, UAE turns to coral nurseries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — On a boat off the coast of an island near Abu Dhabi, marine scientist Hamad al-Jailani feels the corals, picked from the reef nursery and packed in a box of seawater, and studies them carefully, making sure they haven’t lost their color. The corals were once bleached. Now they’re big, healthy and ready to be moved back to their original reefs in the hope they’ll thrive once more.“We try to grow them from very small fragments up to — now some of them have reached — the size of my fist,” al-Jailani said, who’s part of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi’s coral restoration program.The nursery gives corals the ideal conditions to recover: clear waters with strong currents and the right amount of sunlight. Al-Jailani periodically checks the corals’ growth, removes any potentially harmful seaweed and seagrass, and even lets the fish feed off the corals to clean them, until they’re healthy enough to be relocated.The E...

Louisiana governor says he intends to veto anti-LGBTQ+ bills including ban on gender-affirming care

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said Thursday he intends to veto a package of bills passed by the GOP-dominated legislature that targets the LGBTQ+ community, including a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors and the state’s version of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Edwards has said throughout the legislative session, which ended Thursday, that he opposes the series of LGBTQ+ bills. If Edwards blocks the bills, lawmakers can convene for a veto session. Overriding a veto requires support from two-thirds of both the House and Senate — and Republicans hold a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Louisiana legislators have only convened for two veto sessions since 1974.While the main job of lawmakers for the past two months has been to pass a state budget, debate over the contentious anti-LGBTQ+ bills has gained statewide and national attention this session. Marked by misinformation, religious arguments, hours of emotional testimon...

‘I’m the only one’: Mark Saunders bills himself as only alternative to Olivia Chow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

The final push in the campaign for Toronto mayor has started and one candidate has come forth with an all-out effort to keep one of their opponents from being elected. Complete with a slogan, signs and even a brand new website, Mark Saunders has shifted his focus to try and convince voters he’s the only alternative to front-runner Olivia Chow. “It is time to choose who can stop Olivia Chow. The fact is that I’m the only one,” said the former police chief, who has been running a distant third in at least one poll throughout the race.The ‘Stop Chow’ website claims that the former city councillor and MP would defund the police and raise taxes by 25 per cent. Chow has said there would be a “modest” increase in property taxes but has yet to be pinned down to an exact number when asked. Saunders goes on to say that a vote for any other candidate is a vote for Olivia Chow. “I invite all the candidates to join me in this campaign. I am m...

Class 3A state softball: Cretin-Derham Hall drops semifinal thriller to Mankato East

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

NORTH MANKATO — Cretin-Derham Hall battled to the bitter end in Thursday’s Class 3A state semifinal against top-seeded Mankato East, falling 7-6 in 10 innings at Caswell Park.Mankato East scored in the top of the 10th on a sacrifice fly from Sydney Jacobs after the Raiders committed a few defensive miscues to load the bases with no outs.Fifth-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall was then unable to plate a run in the bottom of the frame, stranding a runner at third.Mankato East will square off with third-seeded Chisago Lakes in the final at 2:30 p.m. Friday after the Wildcats downed Delano 5-0 in Thursday’s semifinals as Courtney Preston, Ashley Mandell and Anna Zaruba all logged two-hit games, and Zaruba scattered eight hits in her complete-game shutout.The 10th inning was about the only time the Raiders didn’t have an answer Thursday. Every time Mankato East threw a punch, the Raiders had a response.Cretin-Derham Hall scored the game’s first two runs, but Mankato East ...

Class 2A state softball: St. Agnes nets first state tournament win since 1983 before falling in semis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

NORTH MANKATO — St. Agnes’ run through the Class 2A state tournament came to an end Thursday evening, but not before the Aggies made a little program history.St. Agnes downed third-seeded Proctor 2-1 in Thursday’s quarterfinals before falling 8-3 to second-seeded St. Charles at Caswell Park. The Aggies’ quarterfinal victory marked their first state tournament win since they were a state runner-up in 1983. The St. Paul school will play for third place on Friday.St. Charles will play Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the Class 2A final.“It means a lot. … Just getting to the state tournament is always such a milestone and an accomplishment,” St. Agnes coach Dan Berthiaume said. “The goal this year was to win a game and to be playing on Friday.”Mission accomplished. The Aggies bested Proctor largely thanks to the work of Angela Proper in the circle. She scattered seven hits and struck out nine. Proctor’s lone run came in the first inn...

Large police presence seen at Hawthorne Avenue home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An investigation is ongoing after a large police presence at a home in Albany. A medical call on Hawthorne Avenue came in around 5:40 p.m. Thursday, police said. They were called to the scene after a report of a possible weapon inside the house. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! After a few hours, police were able to get inside the home and found a man unresponsive. They were able to wake him and took him to the hospital to be evaluated.As of late Thursday night, police had not said if any charges would be filed.

Rensselaer home invasion under investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Police are investigating a home invasion in Rensselaer. It took place around 1 p.m. Thursday on Second Street. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! It's currently unclear if anyone was injured or if any suspects are in custody.

Air quality concerns in St. Louis area 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:18 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Canadian wildfires creating air quality concerns in parts of the United States are also raising questions about air quality levels locally. The St. Louis region has seen a string of days with air quality alerts. “Air pollution can have a lot of effects on your health,” said Susannah Fuchs, director of clean air at the American Lung Association in Missouri. She said current air pollution concerns in the St. Louis area are different from what places such as New York are experiencing. Fuchs said ozone pollution created from various emissions, heat, and sunlight has contributed to air quality concerns in the St. Louis area.  Revisting Mike Shildt’s comments on his Cardinals departure Air quality problems can lead to various short- and long-term health issues, including shortness of breath and nausea. “It can exacerbate lung disease,” Fuchs said. “For example, if you have asthma, it can make it worse.” She hopes area residents will be mindful of ale...