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Kazakhstan mine fire death roll rises to 42

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The death toll from a fire at a coal mine in Kazakhstan rose to 42 on Sunday, with four people still missing, the press service of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said.It added that rescue operations were being “hampered by the presence of destroyed mining equipment, as well as rubble in some places.”The fire broke out on Saturday at the Kostenko mine, which is owned by Luxembourg-based steel giant ArcelorMittal and located in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda region.ArcelorMittal said the blaze was believed to have been caused by a blast of methane gas, and that some 252 people were working at the mine at the time of the fire.It is the latest in a string of workplace deaths at sites operated by ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the local unit of ArcelorMittal that operates the country’s largest steel plants and several coal and ore mines. In August, four miners were killed after a fire erupted at the same mine, while five people died following a methane leak at a...

Gunshots reported at house party in Etobicoke

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

Toronto police say there are no reports of injuries after gunshots were heard at a house party in Etobicoke early Sunday morning.Police responded to multiple calls for a firearm discharge at a home in the Edenbridge Drive and Allanhurst Road area shortly after 4:00 a.m.People were seeing fleeing the area on foot and in cars.Police found evidence of gunfire outside the home.No further details are available at this time.

Mission impossible? Biden says Mideast leaders must consider a two-state solution after the war ends

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war enters what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says could be a “long and difficult” new stage, President Joe Biden is calling on Israeli and Arab leaders to think hard about their eventual postwar reality. It’s one, he argues, where finally finding agreement on a long-sought two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict should be a priority.“There’s no going back to the status quo as it stood on Oct. 6,” Biden told reporters, referring to the day before Hamas militants attacked Israel and set off the latest war. The White House says Biden conveyed the same message directly to Netanyahu during a telephone call this past week. “It also means that when this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next, and in our view it has to be a two-state solution,” Biden said.The push for a two-state solution — one in which Israel would co-exist with an independent Palestinian state — has eluded U.S. president...

15 shot at Halloween party in North Lawndale: CPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

CHICAGO -- Fifteen people are injured after a shooting in the city's North Lawndale neighborhood overnight. According to police, shots were fired in the 1200 block of South Pulaski Road around 1:04 a.m., at a gathering of multiple people. A gun was recovered at the scene. 2 airlifted to hospital, woman charged with DUI after multi-vehicle crash on I-80 in NW Indiana A 26-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to the left hip and right buttocks and was transported to Mount Siniai Hospital in critical condition. A 30-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm and two more gunshots to the left flank and was transported to Mount Sinai hospital in good condition A 45-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg and thigh and was transported to Mount Sinai hospital in good condition. A 33-year-old woman sustained a graze wound to the left knee and was transported to Mount Sinai hospital in good condition. A 26-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the r...

Sunday Forecast: Cloudy, breezy and showers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, a bit breezy & showers likely-- especially in the afternoon. NNE 10-20 mph. Air quality is in the Good category today. High: 47Sunday Night: Chance of showers early, then clearing. Freeze Warning 12M - 9A. NW 10-15 mphLow near freezingChicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Monday: Sunny & colder. NW 5-10 mph. High: 42Extended outlook calls for a cold Halloween with a chance of snow showers in the morning and rain/snow showers in the afternoon and evening. High temps only around 39 degrees. We warm up by the end of the week to the upper 50s-- each day getting a bit warmer after Halloween. 

The cold front is moving through Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The much talked about cold front arrived in San Saba and Lampasas Counties before sunrise. It quickly lowered temperatures and dew points, leaving strong north winds behind.The front will glide to the southeast during the morning into early afternoon. Based on present trends it should be out of the viewing area by 3 to 4 p.m.Colder air settles in this afternoonWind chills come into play for the first time thanks to a biting north winds as high as 15 to 20 mph and gusts as high as 40 to 45 mph.By 9 p.m. wind chills will be in the low to mid 30s across the northern and western Hill Country communities. They will fall further to rush hour readings ranging from the mid 20s to low 30s. Monday afternoon wind chills will be in the 30s areawide. Very cold air in place for the start of the work weekSo, in other words, plan for a very cold start to the work week.Streamer showers were very prevalent this morning. More rain and thunderstorms are in the day's outlook. Off and on...

What is 'natural wine,' and is it as sustainable as some suggest?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's out with the new and in with the old for some wine enthusiasts, as "natural wine" production is seeing a resurgence in popularity, according to October reporting from the Associated Press.Alcohol delivery service Drizly's 2023 BevAlc trend report revealed more wine drinkers are seeking prioritization of organic and natural options when it comes to wine selections, alongside increased transparency in ingredients used and lower calorie options. In comes "natural wine," a process that taps into the ancient history of winemaking that goes back thousands of years."There is no clear definition or legal definition for that matter of natural wine," said Dr. Andreea Botezatu, an associate professor and enology extension specialist with the Texas A&M University's Texas AgriLife Extension Service. "Broadly speaking, natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention."Botezatu said many natural wine producers lean into the use of organic grapes, or those grown without...

Chilly showers and falling temperatures: rainy day ahead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- We have some scattered light rain out there this morning. Temperatures are in the low to mid-40s for most places and this is where temperatures will stay for most of the day.While we should see some breaks in the rain later in the morning and early afternoon, widespread rain will build back in the late afternoon and through the evening. Temperatures this evening will also steadily fall as the rain tapers off tonight. The winds will be a bit gusty, making it feel even colder. By Monday morning, temperatures will be in the upper 20s to low 30s. Another front comes through Monday into Tuesday, bringing even colder air into the region. It'll be quite chilly for trick-or-treating. Temperatures gradually warm for the second half of the week. 

Denver Kids takes holistic approach to helping students thrive, plan future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

Norman Mestas and Dat Bui have gotten to know each other over the past couple of years. They talk about what’s going on in school, life in general and, of course, sports. Specifically baseball, Norman’s favorite.The two were brought together through the program Denver Kids, a partnership between Denver Public Schools and the Rotary Club of Denver that works to keep students on track to graduation and possibly a post-secondary education.Norman, 14, is a freshman at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART and in his second year with Denver Kids. Bui is an educational and social, emotional and learning counselor who has regular meetings with Norman and is available at other times. They sometimes play catch at lunch time and in the summer.The Denver Post Season To Share is the annual holiday fundraising campaign for The Denver Post and The Denver Post Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Grants are awarded to local nonprofit agencies that provide life-changing program...

Can Mayor Mike Johnston keep his homelessness promise?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:24 GMT

Mayor Mike Johnston has just two months to find housing for 830 people if he is to keep his promise to move 1,000 of Denver’s homeless off the streets by the end of the year.“We feel a real sense of momentum and we do believe that it’s possible,” he said. “We think the pieces are in place to be able to help get 1,000 Denverites off the streets and we know a lot of these units will come on in November and December.”But roadblocks and a raft of questions remain with some homeless advocates and City Council members suggesting a slower approach might be more productive, allowing the city to focus on providing fewer people with better support to get into long-term housing.“The mayor may indeed reach his goal for “Housing” 1,000 but that’s within his defined parameters, which most advocates and providers, including myself, don’t agree with,” said Jess Wiederholt, a member of the homeless support and advocacy group Mut...