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The BBC suspends presenter over claims he paid a teenager for explicit photos

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The BBC said Sunday that it has suspended a leading presenter who is alleged to have paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos.As senior British politicians urged a rapid investigation, the broadcaster said it was working to establish the facts of “a complex and fast-moving set of circumstances.”The U.K.’s publicly funded national broadcaster was scrambling to head off a worsening crisis after The Sun newspaper reported allegations that the male presenter gave a youth 35,000 pounds ($45,000) starting in 2020 when the young person was 17.Neither the star nor the youth was identified. Amid speculation on social media about the identity of the presenter, several of the BBC’s best-known stars spoke up to say it wasn’t them.Though the age of sexual consent in Britain is 16, it’s a crime to make or possess indecent images of anyone under 18.The Sun said the young person’s mother had complained to the BBC in May but that the presenter had remained on the air.The BBC ...

Man accused of crashing into police cars during chase, killing a 19-year-old officer, faces charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont burglary suspect who led police on a high-speed chase and crashed his truck into two police cruisers, killing a 19-year-old officer and injuring two others, will be arraigned Monday on charges related to the crash, state police said. Tate Rheaume, 20, is facing charges of grossly negligent operation and attempting to elude, both with death resulting. Additional charges are possible, state police said. It was not immediately known if he is being represented by an attorney. Rutland City Police Officer Jessica Ebbighausen was killed on Friday afternoon. The crash happened as police chased a vehicle driven by Rheaume, a suspect in an attempted break-in at a house, state police said. Evidence indicates that Rheaume crossed the center line and collided head-on with the Ebbighausen’s cruiser, police said. The suspect’s truck also hit another police cruiser. Ebbighausen and another officer riding in the passenger’s seat were not wearing seat b...

Child injured when struck by vehicle in Toronto’s west end

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

A child has been transported to hospital after being struck by a vehicle in the Jane Street and Alliance Avenue area on Sunday morning.Police responded to reports at approximately 9:16 a.m. of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.COLLISION:Jane St and Alliance Ave9:16 am-reports of a Pedestrian struck by a vehicle-unknown injuries -police are responding-Possible delays in the area-consider alternate routes#GO1592591^lm— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) July 9, 2023Paramedics and police arrived on scene to find a child was struck.The child was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.The vehicle remained on the scene and there are delays in the area.

Nine shot in downtown Cleveland, taken to hospital for treatment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — An early morning shooting in a nightclub area of downtown Cleveland sent nine people to the hospital, but no fatalities were reported, authorities said.Police said preliminary information indicates that someone opened fire toward a group of people in the Warehouse District at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, about the time the clubs were closing. The suspect then fled the scene.Officers assigned to the district’s weekly detail arrived quickly and rendered medical aid, police said. Authorities reported that nine gunshot victims were taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where their conditions weren’t immediately available.Detectives have been talking to victims at the hospital and reviewing video and other evidence, police said. No arrests were immediately reported. Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them. The Associated Press

BoC expected to raise rates again this week, vying to quash inflation faster

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is expected to raise interest rates again this week as forecasters say the economy has not softened enough for the central bank to back off. The interest rate announcement is scheduled for Wednesday, just over one month after the central bank hiked its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point, bringing it to 4.75 per cent.The June decision brought an end to the Bank of Canada’s pause on rate hikes after a string of hot economic data prompted concerns that rates were not high enough to bring inflation back to its two per cent target.Deloitte’s chief economist, Dawn Desjardins, said there have been some recent signs that the economy is taking a turn, with the latest job report for June showing the unemployment rate rising and wage growth slowing. But the overall picture suggests inflation is still sticky, wage growth is high and the economy continues to churn, she said. “I do think that we are seeing things shift. Are they shifting fast...

Does turning the air conditioning off when you’re not home save energy?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

(The Conversation) - Hot summer days can mean high electricity bills. People want to stay comfortable without wasting energy and money. Maybe your household has fought over the best strategy for cooling your space. Which is more efficient: running the air conditioning all summer long without break, or turning it off during the day when you’re not there to enjoy it? We are a team of architectural and building systems engineers who used energy models that simulate heat transfer and A/C system performance to tackle this perennial question: Will you need to remove more heat from your home by continuously removing heat throughout the day or removing excess heat only at the end of the day?The answer boils down to how energy intensive it is to remove heat from your home. It’s influenced by many factors such as how well your house is insulated, the size and type of your air conditioner and outdoor temperature and humidity. According to our unpublished calculations, letting your home heat up...

America faces a power disconnection crisis amid rising heat: In 31 states, utilities can shut off electricity for nonpayment in a heat wave

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

(THE CONVERSATION) – Millions of Americans have been sweltering through heat waves in recent weeks, and U.S. forecasters warn of a hot summer ahead.Globally, 2023 saw the warmest June on record, according to the European Union’s climate change service. That heat continued into July, with some of the hottest global daily temperatures on satellite record, and possibly the hottest.For people who struggle to afford air conditioning, the rising need for cooling is a growing crisis.An alarming number of Americans risk losing access to utility services because they can’t pay their bills. Energy utility providers shut off electricity to at least 3 million customers in 2022 who had missed a bill payment. Over 30% of these disconnections happened in the three summer months, during a year that was the fifth hottest on record.In some cases, the loss of service lasted for just a few hours. But in others, people went without electricity for days or weeks while scramb...

Stuck at a red light? You may need to let it know you're there

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - It’s probably happened to you. You pull up to a stop light, and you wait patiently for the light to turn green. Maybe cross traffic continues moving through the intersection, or maybe you’re the only car at the intersection. Yet somehow, the light never seems to turn green. Chances are, you’re sitting at a light that doesn’t know you’re there. Some traffic lights run on timers, which can vary by the time of day or during certain events. In Minneapolis, for example, there are set patterns for lights during Minnesota Twins or Timberwolves games and other special events. If that’s the case, you’ll be stuck waiting your turn for the light to change. However, other traffic lights rely on detection devices, including cameras or underground sensors. Drivers in these cities are most likely to get stuck at red lights You’ve likely seen the latter — before the stop line, you’ll notice a rectangle outlined in tar or that has a different color than the pav...

Hays County: Brush fire 90% contained

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – A brush fire near Hilliard Road in Hays County is about 85 acres in size as of late Saturday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.Hays County said the Vineyard Hill fire was about 90% contained as of 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The county said crews worked overnight, and work may be completed by noon. More dozers will come to improve the fire line Sunday morning. "We've got plenty of water on hand," Mike Jones, Hays County's director of emergency services, said.No homes are currently at risk from the fire, and Jones said that his agency is not planning any evacuation of civilians. A brush fire near Hilliard Road in Hays County has reached nearly 150 acres as of 9 p.m. Saturday (Photo Courtesy Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra).A brush fire near Hilliard Road in Hays County has reached nearly 150 acres as of 9 p.m. Saturday (Photo Courtesy Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra).A brush fire near Hilliard Road in Hays County has reached nearly 150 acres as of 9 p.m...

Unwanted, expired COVID-19 tests mailed to Central Texans; Medicare billed for them

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:54 GMT

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — Richard McGinn recalls the first package of COVID-19 tests he received in the mail in April. He said he was puzzled since he had never ordered the tests or requested them.Richard McGinn sits at his desk with a collection of unwanted COVID-19 tests he's received in the mail. (KXAN Photo/Arezow Doost)"We get them in continuous days, and it went on for about four or five weeks," McGinn explained. He said that something didn't seem right, so he started saving the tests. He's collected more than 50 boxes of at-home COVID-19 tests. "It was from places in California and Wisconsin and Florida. Different laboratories were sending them to us," McGinn said "It just felt wrong." In Austin, Suzann Madeley opened a big tan bag where she stored all the tests she had received. Some she said that had arrived already expired. "Here I am sitting with all of these that could have been used by someone and it makes me furious," Madeley said. "It makes me fu...