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Federal appeals court halts Missouri execution, leading state to appeal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

A federal appeals court panel has halted next month’s planned execution of a 45-year-old Missouri man convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl, though the state is appealing the ruling.The three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday voted 2-1 to stop the execution of Johnny Johnson, who is scheduled to receive a lethal injection next Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing Casey Williamson after trying to sexually assault her in 2002.The Missouri Attorney General’s Office responded by asking that the full 8th Circuit court reconsider the case, which will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court before the scheduled execution date.Attorneys for Johnson have claimed he isn’t mentally competent to be executed because his schizophrenia prevents him from understanding the link between his crime and the punishment. They have also said Johnson has delusions about the devil using his death to bring about the end of the world.The Mi...

Nigerian doctors walk off the job again. Overstretched and underpaid, many have left for overseas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Resident doctors in Nigerian public hospitals on Wednesday embarked on their second strike this year to protest at salaries in arrears and to demand improved pay and working conditions.The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors declared the “total and indefinite strike … having considered all the numerous ultimatums, appeals and engagements with the government,” Dr Innocent Orji, the group’s president, said in a statement issued after their meeting on Tuesday night.Strikes by doctors in Nigeria are common and the latest could shut down some healthcare services in critical wards where they work as graduate trainees across public hospitals in Africa’s most populous country. The doctors are medical school graduates who provide urgent and critical care across under-staffed public hospitals.An average of 200 resident doctors in Nigeria have relocated abroad every month over the last two years, seeking better pay, Dr. Orji told The Associated Pres...

Major automakers unite to build electric vehicle charging network they say will rival Tesla’s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Seven major automakers say they’re joining forces to build a North American electric vehicle charging network that would rival Tesla’s and nearly double the number of fast-charging plugs in the U.S. and Canada.General Motors, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Stellantis said Wednesday that they will share in a multi-billion dollar investment to build “high power” charging stations with 30,000 plugs in urban areas and along travel corridors.The dramatic move is intended to speed the adoption of electric vehicles, allaying fears that chargers won’t be available for long distance travel. The companies wouldn’t disclose the exact number of charging stations or financial details of the joint venture they’re forming to put the network in place. While they said the first of the chargers will be ready by next summer, they also would not say how long it will take to build the entire network.The automakers said in a joint statement Wednesday t...

Want an authentic Lionel Messi Inter Miami kit? You’ll have to wait until October

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

Messi's kit is a hot commodity. Messi's kit is a hot commodity. New York (CNN) — It’s easy to watch Lionel Messi play in the United States, but dressing like him is a bit more difficult.Fans hoping to purchase an authentic Inter Miami jersey featuring its newest star’s name will have to wait until mid-October (notably, that’s when the Major League Soccer season ends). Adidas, the jersey’s official manufacturer, said in a statement that demand for the $160 shirt is “truly unprecedented.”That’s hindering a number of sellers, including MLS’ official online store, which is warning buyers of the mid-October delivery date.“We’re working as quickly as possible to ensure that every fan who wants a jersey can get one onlin...

Michael Harris and the Atlanta Braves turn first 8-3-5 triple play since 1884

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The Atlanta Braves turned a rare 8-3-5 triple play in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox in a 7-1 loss Tuesday night.It was the first triple play in the majors this season and the first 8-3-5 triple play in Major League Baseball since the 1884 Boston Beaneaters turned one against the Providence Grays, according to SABR’s Triple Plays Database.Center fielder Michael Harris caught a shallow fly by Triston Casas and threw to first after Adam Duvall had strayed too far.The throw easily got Duvall, then first baseman Matt Olson alertly fired the ball across the diamond in plenty of time to get Masataka Yoshida at third after he tagged up and attempted to advance on Duvall’s running gaffe. After the win, Duvall was able to chuckle about his own mistake.“My instincts told me right off the bat that it was off the end,” Duvall said. “I’m reading the outfielder. My goal is to get to second if it drops in front of him. I got out a little too far and he made a good throw ...

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava gives update on MDPD director’s condition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava addressed the public on Wednesday morning after Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez shot himself while he was at a conference in Tampa. Levine Cava was at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in Miami where she spoke about Ramirez’s condition. “I’m very glad to report that he is stable after undergoing surgery on Monday,” she said. “Every day that he is recovering he is continuing to regain his strength. He is now alert, awake and responsive.” According to the Miami Herald, Director Ramirez made a call to Mayor Levine Cava after a domestic incident between him and his wife at the Marriot and before he shot himself on Interstate 75. She was by his side after he was transported to the hospital the following day. Levina Cava mentioned in the address that when she spoke to Ramirez, he felt that he made a mistake and was willing to resign. It is unclear what Ramirez was referring to when he said t...

Fishermen spot orcas off Key Largo coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

KEY LARGO COASTLINE, Fla. (WSVN) — Fishermen caught an unforgettable wild encounter on camera off the coast of Key Largo. As the group was 17 to 18 miles off the island, they spotted a pod of killer whales. The boaters were out on the water to catch swordfish when they encountered the underwater mammals. The orcas appeared to be on the hunt for food when the fishermen picked up their phones to capture the spectacle. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said these whales are more abundant in cooler waters like the north pacific, but they are found in all of the world’s oceans.

MCSO search for 51-year-old woman after boat catches on fire in Florida Keys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

FLORIDA KEYS, Fla. (WSVN) –The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 51-year-old woman after a boat caught on fire. The fire happened Wednesday, at around 12:10 a.m., at the Peary Hotel & Marina on Stock Island, located at 7001 Shrimp Road. A 70-foot Viking yacht was destroyed. When fire rescue crews arrived at the scene, the boat was fully engulfed. It took them roughly three hours to extinguish the fire. According to deputies, two men, ages 21 and 58, were also on board the vessel when the fire occurred. The two were airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami. The family, who are from St. Petersburg, were in the keys for lobster mini-season. There was another family of four on board but they escaped uninjured. The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, as well as TowBoat U.S crews, are assisting in the search for the woman. Dive teams are being cautious in their search since the vessel’s sinking has caused hazardous conditions. The state Fire Marshal’s Offic...

UK candidate Jim Skea elected as new leader of UN climate science body

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

The United Nations’ climate science body today chose the U.K.’s Jim Skea as its new boss. Skea beat Brazilian climate scientist Thelma Krug to become the new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).In a statement, Skea said he was “humbled and deeply honoured,” adding that he would focus on “three priorities” during his tenure — ensuring inclusivity, expanding the IPCC’s reach and impact, and “promoting the use of the best and most relevant science.” The change in leadership comes as the IPCC, whose reports provide a definitive account of current climate science, has increasingly spelled out what choices governments need to make to limit global warming and its impacts. Skea beat Krug by 90 votes to 69, the IPCC said in an emailed statement. The other two candidates, Belgian Jean-Pascal Van Ypserle and South African Debra Roberts, were eliminated in the first round. The result also means that the IPCC, which has never had a w...

Exclusive: Trevor Reed is expected to make a full recovery after being wounded in Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:31:37 GMT

(CNN) — Former US Marine Trevor Reed is expected to make a full recovery after being wounded in battle approximately two weeks ago serving alongside Ukrainian forces fighting Russia, a source close to Reed told CNN.Reed is currently receiving medical care in Germany after being evacuated there by MediCare Hubs Kyiv, a German NGO, and FRIDA Ukraine, an Israeli NGO.Reed first traveled to Ukraine on November 1 to fight the invading Russian forces, doing so strictly as a volunteer with no affiliation with the US government, the source said.Reed told friends and family he was motivated to fight by seeing the depths of Russian oppression firsthand as a prisoner, the source said, adding that Reed said he was honored to serve alongside Ukrainian fighters.After Reed’s unit successfully pushed back against Russian forces and recaptured about 2 km of land near Bahkmut, the source said, Reed was wounded along with others in his unit. As opposed to what US government sources told ...