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Tornado slams Little Rock, shreds rooftops, flips vehicles

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

By ANDREW DeMILLO (Associated Press)LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A tornado raced through Little Rock and surrounding areas Friday, splintering homes, overturning vehicles and tossing trees and debris on roadways as people raced for shelter. The city’s main trauma center said it was expecting at least 15 to 20 patients.The twister tore first through neighborhoods in west Little Rock, and shredded a small shopping center that included a Kroger grocery store. It then crossed the Arkansas River into North Little Rock and surrounding cities, where widespread damage was reported to homes, businesses and vehicles.The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Medical Center in Little Rock was operating at a mass casualty level, spokesperson Leslie Taylor said. Several people had already been transported to the medical center, but an exact count was not immediately available.Mark Hulsey, a special projects manager for Pulaski County, which includes Little Rock, said at least one pe...

Pete Davidson confused about the interest in his high-profile dating life

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

By Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily NewsPete Davidson, the former “Saturday Night Live” breakout star also known for his growing list of famous exes, hasn’t come to terms with all of the hoopla surrounding his romantic life.The 29-year-old Staten Island native, who’s been linked to Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, opened up in a new interview about the increased interest in who he’s dating.“I’m in my 20s and I’ve dated people. And for some reason, that’s very crazy and interesting to people. I don’t think it’s interesting,” he shared on the “Real Ones With Jon Bernthal” podcast, which dropped Thursday.“I’ve been in show business for, like, half my life almost ― for 14 or 15 years and on a national TV show. In 12 years I’ve dated 10 people. I don’t think that’s that crazy, but to some people, that’s very interesting. That became all anyone would talk about.”Davidson is reportedly dating actress Chase Sui Wonders and previously was romantically linked to author Cazz...

Review: ‘Rye Lane’ on Hulu is a rom-com with spark, and actual romance

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

A swift, bright 77 minutes not counting end credits, the South London-set “Rye Lane” (streaming on Hulu Friday) has two fantastic faces at its center and a wealth of vibrant visual detail in every frame.The movie, director Raine Allen-Miller’s feature debut, takes its cue from Yas, the aspiring costume designer played by Vivian Oparah. Everything this blur of creative energy wears or carries is a riot of primary color and clashing texture; as photographed by Olan Collardy, the movie’s like that, too. Even when the screenplay favors an arch quality when we wouldn’t mind a looser, easier-going touch — it’s as stylized and storybook-ish a vision of modern London as the delightful “Paddington” films — the actors, chiefly Oparah and David Jonsson, make for highly engaging company.Designer Yas and accountant Dom (Jonsson) meet in an art gallery unisex washroom, Dom weeping alone in a stall. He wants to be left alone for his “private moment,” but Yas, from the other side of the stall door,...

Illegal immigrant drunken driver deported after short jail stint

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

The nation’s “severely broken” immigration system has finally done something right for one heartbroken mom.Drunken-driving illegal immigrant Nicolas Dutan Guaman — who killed 23-year-old Matthew Denice of Milford in a 2011 crash — was deported Friday after serving out his jail sentence. He was convicted in 2014.“I am so grateful for ICE getting him out of the country,” Maureen Maloney, Matthew’s mother, told the Herald minutes after immigration officials informed her that Guaman was out of U.S. airspace and headed back to Ecuador.“Nothing will ever bring Matthew back or ease the pain, but this does help,” Maloney said. “He doesn’t deserve to be in this country. The system is so severely broken and a majority of Americans are so preoccupied they don’t know how broken it is until it affects their family.”Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Guaman, 46, was released from the Worcester County House o...

Former US intel director’s daughter gets 35 years for murder

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — The daughter of former U.S. intelligence director John Negroponte was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison in the fatal stabbing of a friend after a drunken argument at a Maryland home, prosecutors announced.Sophia Negroponte, 30, of Washington, D.C., was convicted in January of second-degree murder in the 2020 death of 24-year-old Yousuf Rasmussen. Guidelines called for a sentence of 15 to 25 years, but Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Terrence McGann went beyond those guidelines, citing a need for community protection and rehabilitation, and calling her a “struggling, anger-filled alcoholic,” news outlets reported.“That rage drove Ms. Negroponte to stab her friend in the neck,” McGann said.“While nothing can ease the pain caused by this senseless loss of life, we thank Judge McGann for an appropriate prison sentence in this case,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a statement. Nearly a dozen people, including Rasmussen̵...

No handcuffs but a mug shot: Trump to be arraigned Tuesday

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will be formally arrested and arraigned next Tuesday in his hush money case, court officials said — an announcement promising the historic, shocking scene of a former U.S. commander in chief forced to stand before a judge.As the Manhattan court confirmed the timing on Friday, the streets outside had calmed from earlier in the week. There were no large-scale demonstrations for or against Trump, though tourists stopped to take selfies and throngs of reporters and police officers remained assembled.When Trump turns himself in, he’ll be booked mostly like anyone else facing charges, mug shot, fingerprinting and all. But he isn’t expected to be put in handcuffs; he’ll have Secret Service protection and will almost certainly be released that same day.In the meantime, Trump’s legal team prepared his defense while the prosecutor defended the grand jury investigation that propelled the matter toward trial. Congressional Republicans, as well...

Florida teen debuts trans visibility film as bans spread

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teenager has documented how it feels to be young and transgender for a film set to debut at a festival as transgender people around the world celebrate visibility and lawmakers across the country look to restrict their rights and care.Carys Mullins, 19, who is gender non-conforming and uses she and they pronouns, said their experience inspired conversations with community members for a documentary, “You’re Loved.” The film directed and produced by Mullins is set to premiere Friday at the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival on International Transgender Day of Visibility. “That’s a big part of what the festival is,” Mullins said. “A big part of the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival is: Look at us.”“You’re Loved” debuts at a time where access to gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary young people is under assault across the United States. Florida, Missouri and Texas have regulations banning puberty-blocking hormones and gender-affirm...

US boosts anti-China Pacific push with embassy in Vanuatu

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Friday that the U.S. will open an embassy in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu in its latest move to blunt China’s increasing influence in the Indo-Pacific. The new embassy in Port Vila will be the fifth diplomatic mission that the U.S. has either opened or announced that it will build in the region over the past three years as it seeks to confront what it sees as a threat or challenge from China.“Consistent with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, a permanent diplomatic presence in Vanuatu would allow the U.S. government to deepen relationships with Vanuatu officials and society,” the State Department said in a statement.“Establishing U.S. Embassy Port Vila would facilitate areas of potential bilateral cooperation and development assistance, including efforts to tackle the climate crisis,” it said. A low-lying island nation of some 300,000 people, Vanuatu last year declared a climate emergency as it faces moving dozens of village...

TikTok top attorney reiterates safety measures for users

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The top attorney for TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance said Friday the Biden administration hasn’t given any feedback to the company since TikTok’s CEO testified in Congress last week. During a panel conversation at a conference in San Francisco that featured top government officials, tech executives and journalists, TikTok and ByteDance’s general counsel Erich Andersen also said TikTok has given user data to the U.S. government in response to requests related to law enforcement. The comments come as the social media behemoth is under intense scrutiny over concerns it could hand user data to the Chinese government or push pro-Beijing propaganda and misinformation on its behalf.Leaders at the FBI, CIA and officials at other government agencies have warned that ByteDance could be forced to give user data — such as browsing history, IP addresses and biometric identifiers — to Beijing under a 2017 law that compels companies to cooperate wit...

Man warning others after falling victim to e-transfer text scam through Kijiji

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:29:51 GMT

A Toronto man is warning the public after he fell victim to an intricate scam targeting individuals selling items through online platforms like Kijiji and Facebook marketplace.“I’ve been on Kijiji for a very long time”, Alex tells CityNews, adding that he’s come across his fair share of scammers through these platforms. But this one took him by surprise.Alex says he was selling a pair of skis online and received a message from someone who presented themselves as an interested buyer. After discussing the price, the individual informed Alex that he would be sending his son to pick up the item and requested Alex provide his phone number to connect.Not an uncommon practice when arranging these exchanges. “So I had provided my phone number and then immediately they said, ‘Okay, I’ve just e-transferred you the funds’”, explained Alex, who received a text message that looked almost identical to a legitimate one you would expect to receive. Copy of text message seller received in susp...