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Iconic Joshua trees burned by massive wildfire spreading across Mojave Desert

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

(CNN) — A massive fire burning through the desert in California and southern Nevada has scorched tens of thousands of acres in a biodiverse national preserve and torched its iconic Joshua trees.The York Fire – already California’s largest fire of the year – has burned more than 82,000 acres as of Wednesday morning, fire officials said. It began Friday in the New York Mountains of California’s Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada on Sunday.The fire is burning through and threatening groves of Joshua trees – the branching, spiky plants of the Mojave Desert that can live more than 150 years.Some of the trees have already fallen victim to the flames and burned, Marc Peebles, a spokesperson for California’s incident management team for the fire, confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.The Mojave National Preserve is a significant hotspot for biodiversity, with one conservationist calling it the “crown jewel” of the deserts of Southern California. Joshua trees only...

Taylor Swift gives ‘life-changing’ $100,000 bonuses to Eras Tour truck drivers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

New York (CNN) — Taylor Swift is going out in “Style.”On the eve of wrapping up the US leg of her wildly successful Eras Tour, Swift on Monday thanked a slew of crew members who have done serious heavy lifting on the road with her — among them, the tour’s truck drivers — with a hefty bonus.Swift stunned the tour’s trucking staff by giving each trucker a check in the amount of $100,000, Michael Scherkenbach, founder and CEO of Denver, Colorado-based Shomotion trucking company, told CNN.Shomotion is one of two transportation companies used by the tour, he said. “My company handles transportation of the stage and structure, pretty much the skeleton that everything hangs on at the concert venue.”While Scherkenbach declined to disclose how many of his staff received the six-figure bonus, he said it was a total of nearly 50 members of the combined trucking crews.The “generous” amount, he said, far exceeds the standard expected bonus. “The typical amount is $5,000 to $10,000 each. So ...

Preparations underway ahead of Former President Donald Trump’s expected arraignment in Washington DC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

Preparations were underway Wednesday ahead of an expected court appearance for Former President Donald Trump to face charges linked to his allegedly trying to block the transfer of power from the election he lost in 2020. Trump was indicted on Tuesday. His arraignment in federal court in Washington DC is currently scheduled for Thursday.Prosecutors say Trump conspired with his lawyers and others to overturn the 2020 election. The former president has denied the claims and said he is ready to fight the accusations.“Our defense is going to be focusing on the fact that, what we have now is an administration that has criminalized the free speech and advocacy of a prior administration during the time that there’s a political election going on,” said Trump attorney John Lauro. “That’s unprecedented.” Special Council Jack Smith previously spoke on Tuesday. He said this case includes Trump’s role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.  “As described in the indict...

Michelle Wu addresses video of Boston police officer falling from slide at City Hall Plaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

A new widely circulated video shows the moment a Boston police officer in full uniform got hurt while going down a children’s slide at City Hall Plaza. Video of the incident has circulated online, gathering more than a million views. As some ask questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu recently shared her reaction. “It’s quite scary when you look at it,” Wu said. “It’s a pretty fast descent there.” Video shows the officer coming down the slide on his stomach before landing on his face. “Why is there a police officer going down the slide?” said one person when asked what they thought upon seeing the video.As the video prompts conversation, those in law enforcement have argued the actions don’t diminish the brand of the Boston Police Department. “My first reaction is that it was probably an innocent decision and it just didn’t kind of turn out the way that this police officer envisioned.” said 7NEWS Security Expert T...

Ticker: Fitch downgrades US credit; DoorDash beats predictions; WWE boss subpoenaed by feds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United States government’s credit rating, citing rising debt at the federal, state, and local levels and a “steady deterioration in standards of governance” over the past two decades.Fitch says the worsening political polarization around spending and tax policy are key reasons for the downgrade. It said U.S. governance has declined relative to other highly rated countries and cited “repeated debt limit standoffs and last-minute resolutions.”The rating was cut one notch to AA+ from AAA, the highest possible rating. The new rating is still well into investment grade.DoorDash beats predictionsDoorDash set new records for total orders and revenue in the second quarter as its grocery and convenience deliveries accelerated and it improved driver efficiency.The San Francisco-based delivery company said its total orders rose 25% to 532 million for the April-June period. That was ahead of Wall Street’s forecast of 521 million, according to analysts polled by ...

Gary Phillips: Brian Cashman’s roster construction deserves its fair share of blame for Yankees’ failures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

The Yankees have played about as well as a broken record. They’ve sounded like one, too.No matter how bad things get or how long the same problems persist, the team’s leadership often repeats the same excuses. This year, the list of greatest hits includes blaming injuries — which have plagued the team for years — and highlighting disappointing veterans. And that’s fair, because those factors have indisputably contributed to the Yankees’ shortcomings.But the team also likes to note the competitiveness of the American League East, which should have only motivated the Yankees to put their best foot forward before the 2023 campaign began. The same can be said of last October’s embarrassing ALCS loss to the Astros.However, the Yankees did not do that well before the IL stints and underachievers made their mark on a last-place team that’s now 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot.Despite having baseball’s second-highest payroll, th...

No word on whether Massachusetts will have to pay back $2.5 billion error to feds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

The terms of payback remain unclear nearly two months after the state learned the former Baker administration erroneously used $2.5 billion in federal pandemic-era relief funds to cover unemployment benefits.Whether or not Massachusetts is even on the hook for the money remains an open question.The U.S. Department of Labor is in the middle of conducting “independent compliance and oversight work” with state officials, a department spokesperson said. A timeline for when that work will be completed was not available on Tuesday, with the spokesperson saying they had “no other information” in response to follow-up questions.“The department appreciates the full cooperation of the state in understanding the scope of the problem, its causes, and any necessary corrective action required,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the Herald.The June revelation that the Baker administration used $2.5 billion in federal dollars to pay off pandemic-era unemployment benefits, which should have be...

Tijuana airport to get nonstop flight to Phoenix on American Airlines

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A nonstop flight between Tijuana and Phoenix is coming to American Airlines.Starting Feb. 15, the airline will launch the direct flight between Tijuana International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.The flight will be the only direct option from Tijuana to any U.S. city, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Sesame Place San Diego’s free admission for kids begins Tijuana will be the 13th international city to which the airline will offer direct service.The mayor of Phoenix says the addition will boost business for Arizona's capital city.“The addition of a direct, non-stop flight to Tijuana, Mexico builds on Phoenix’s status as a majorhub and one of Mexico’s largest air travel markets. This new connection will ultimatelystrengthen our tourism industry, support business, and create more job opportunities forPhoenicians,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a news release.On the same date, the airline will also start operating two daily flights between ...

Police search Senate office buildings after report of active shooter; later declare it a false alarm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order and searched Senate office buildings near the U.S. Capitol Wednesday afternoon after a 911 call warned of a possible active shooter. But a floor-by-floor search of the three buildings found nothing, and Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said the cause of the security scramble “may have been a bogus call.” “We found nothing concerning,” he said. “We got nobody who actually heard shots and certainly no victims.”The incident comes amid heightened security concerns created by former President Donald Trump’s indictment on charges relating to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump is due in federal court Thursday just a few blocks from the Capitol.Manger said Washington’s multiple law enforcement agencies had been planning “for a couple weeks now” for a possible indictment and had “a security plan in place” in case Trump supporters attempt to disrupt the legal proceedings. The lockdown...

‘Deeply upsetting’: AIDS Memorial at Barbara Hall Park vandalized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:00 GMT

The AIDS Memorial at Barbara Hall Park near Church and Wellesley streets has been vandalized with black paint.It’s not clear exactly when the act of vandalism took place and Toronto police tell CityNews they have not received a report about it.In a statement, Toronto Centre Councillor Chris Moise called the vandalism “deeply upsetting and personally heartbreaking.”“The monument was constructed to honour those whose lives have been lost to AIDS, as well as to celebrate those who live courageously with the virus. The fact that someone would desecrate this sacred space is inconceivable, and I condemn it in the strongest terms.”Moise added that “plans are already underway at the City to begin removing the graffiti.”“I look forward to seeing the memorial promptly restored to its former state.”The 519, a nearby community centre, is the trustee of the memorial. It declined to comment on the vandalism, but says the City has placed a work...