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In coal country, drag queens are out, proud and loud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

By Carolyn Kaster and Calvin Woodward | Associated PressSHAMOKIN, Pa. — Deep in Pennsylvania coal country, the Daniels drag family is up to some sort of exuberance almost every weekend.They’re hosting sold-out bingo fundraisers at the Nescopeck Township Volunteer Fire Co.’s social hall, packed with people of all ages howling with laughter and singing along. Or they’re lighting up local blue-collar bars and restaurants with Mimosas & Heels Drag Brunches for bridal parties, members of the military, families and friends.Or they’re reading in gardens to children dressed in their Sunday best — Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” is a favorite book for performers and kids alike.In a string of towns running along a coal seam, the sparkle of small-town drag queens and kings colors a way of life rooted in soot, family and a conservative understanding of the world.Here two very old traditions mingle — and mostly happily, it seems, in contrast to ...

Maternal deaths in US rose sharply over 2 decades

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

By Laura Ungar | Associayed PressMaternal deaths across the U.S. more than doubled over the course of two decades, and the tragedy unfolded unequally.Black mothers died at the nation’s highest rates, while the largest increases in deaths were found in American Indian and Native Alaskan mothers. And some states — and racial or ethnic groups within them – fared worse than others.The findings were laid out in a new study published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers looked at maternal deaths between 1999 and 2019 — but not the pandemic spike — for every state and five racial and ethnic groups.“It’s a call to action to all of us to understand the root causes — to understand that some of it is about health care and access to health care, but a lot of it is about structural racism and the policies and procedures and things that we have in place that may keep people from being healthy,” said Dr. Allison Bryant, one of the studyR...

Yosemite National Park visitors face unprecedented wait times

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

(KRON) -- Visitors are facing unprecedented traffic gridlock while attempting to enter Yosemite National Park this holiday weekend.Outdoor enthusiasts reported long wait times before making it through the world-famous park's gates. One visitor said traffic ground to a halt 80 miles outside of Yosemite Valley, and continued crawling at a snail's pace for three hours, before they finally reached a parking space.Yosemite is attracting an influx of visitors, especially on weekends.Elisabeth Barton of Echo Adventure Cooperative told NPR, "Unprecedented is probably the best word. Just to give you an idea, Juneteenth weekend, we saw lines stretching along Highway 120 for eight miles with wait times exceeding four hours. Visitors were getting turned away after waiting all of that time."Why is the park so packed? Yosemite is open to visitors without reservations for the first summer since the pandemic. In addition to lifting COVID-era restrictions, the park's summer season was shortened by a...

Estadounidenses deberían reconsiderar los viajes a China por el riesgo de detención arbitraria, advierte el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

(CNN) — Los estadounidenses deberían reconsiderar sus viajes a China debido al riesgo de detención arbitraria, advirtió el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. en un aviso de viaje actualizado que se emitió el viernes.Aunque el aviso anterior también clasificaba a China continental como un destino de “Nivel 3: reconsiderar el viaje”, esto se debía al riesgo de “aplicación arbitraria de las leyes locales”. El riesgo de detención arbitraria se mencionó como una razón para que los viajeros estadounidenses “tengan mayor precaución” con respecto a esa notificación, que se emitió en marzo.Un portavoz del Departamento de Estado explicó que como el gobierno chino “sigue ejerciendo esta práctica”, “el aviso de viaje se actualizó para aconsejar a los ciudadanos estadounidenses que reconsideren viajar a China continental debido al riesgo de detención arbitraria”.China presenta una amplia ley de política exterior mientras Xi consolida su poder y pretende co...

Astros rally for 12-11 win to take series over AL West-leading Texas after blowing 8-run lead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Houston Astros know they are in for quite a fight to overtake their instate rival to win another AL West title. They won this round, even after blowing an eight-run lead on Monday.José Abreu and Chas McCormick had back-to-back RBI doubles in the ninth inning in a wild 12-11 win for the second-place Astros over the division-leading Texas Rangers to take three of four games in the series. “It gives us momentum. Obviously we’ve got a long way to go,” said McCormick, who had the game-winning hit for the second day in a row. “That team’s going to play better too, so we have to come every day ready to play.”Just past the halfway point of the regular season, the Astros (47-38) moved within three games of the division lead. That’s the closest they have been in a month after trailing by as many as 6 1/2 games. “That’s huge,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s what we wanted. We wanted three out of four, or all of them.”The...

After Boehly’s miserable first year at Chelsea, Pochettino is promising to turn things around

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — It’s fair to say things have not gone to plan for Todd Boehly at Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino is promising to change all that. The Premier League club’s new manager officially got down to work on Monday and in his first day in the office gave a glimpse of the ambition that likely convinced Boehly he was the man to turn Chelsea’s fortunes around. “In the last 10, 12, 15 years, Chelsea is the greatest team in England. I know very well the Premier League and what the culture of Chelsea means,” Pochettino said. “We need to be sure that we bring what the club needs to be at the top because the history of the club is to be at the top.”Pochettino is already Boehly’s third managerial appointment in what has been chaotic first year of the American businessman’s co-ownership with private investment firm Clearlake Capital. Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel was fired within weeks of the start of last season and replaced with Graham...

Entering her sixth Women’s World Cup, Brazil’s Marta says this will be her last

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — Going into her sixth World Cup, Brazil star Marta said Monday that this will be her last. The 37-year-old Marta is widely considered one of the best players in the history of women’s soccer but has yet to lift the World Cup trophy in five previous attempts. “Yes, it will be my last World Cup,” Marta told journalists in Brasilia on Monday, shortly before the squad boarded a plane to the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. “We have to understand that a time comes for us to prioritize other things.”Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said in an interview with The Associated Press last month that Marta, who has been the world player of the year six times, may not be in the starting lineup for Brazil right away while she continues to recover from a left knee injury. Marta played for a few minutes on Sunday, when Brazil beat Chile 4-0 in its last friendly before the trip.“I can only be thankful to have lived all those years in the national team,” added Marta,...

UN council to hold first meeting on potential threats of artificial intelligence to global peace

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council will hold a first-ever meeting on the potential threats of artificial intelligence to international peace and security, organized by the United Kingdom which sees tremendous potential but also major risks about AI’s possible use for example in autonomous weapons or in control of nuclear weapons.UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward on Monday announced the July 18 meeting as the centerpiece of its presidency of the council this month. It will include briefings by international AI experts and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who last month called the alarm bells over the most advanced form of AI “deafening,” and loudest from its developers.“These scientists and experts have called on the world to act, declaring AI an existential threat to humanity on a par with the risk of nuclear war,” the U.N. chief said.Guterres announced plans to appoint an advisory board on artificial intelligence in September to prepare initiatives that the U.N. can ta...

Accidente de avión en North Myrtle Beach deja al menos 5 personas muertas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

(CNN) — Al menos cinco personas murieron tras el accidente de un avión en North Myrtle Beach este domingo, informó la policía.La aeronave, un Piper PA-32R-300, despegó del aeropuerto de Grand Strand antes de estrellarse 3,2 kilómetros al noroeste de la terminal, dijo este domingo la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte (NTSB, por sus siglas en inglés).Investigan la hipoxia como posible factor del accidente aéreo mortal de un avión privado en Virginia, según una fuente“La oficina del forense del condado de Horry aún está en proceso de identificar a las víctimas. Publicarán la información una vez que todas sean identificadas y se les notifique a los familiares”, dijo el agente de información pública de la Policía de North Myrtle Beach, Pat Wilkinson, a CNN por correo electrónico.La NTSB y la Administración Federal de Aviación investigan el accidente.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights re...

16-year-old among 2 killed in Highlands Ranch crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:17:43 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Video captured by another driver shows a car going out of control before a deadly crash in Highlands Ranch.Three people were ejected from the car. Two of them died, including 16-year-old Tavion Daniels, a Rangeview High School junior who had big dreams. Legitimacy of ‘customer’ in gay rights case raises ethical, legal flags FOX31 spoke with the teen's family on Monday. Tavion's father said they are beyond heartbroken over the loss.The Aurora teen had his whole life in front of him. He loved taking pictures. His smile, his family said, would brighten up a room. His dream? To play for the NFL."He just wanted to be the glue that stuck both of the families together," said Darius Daniels, the boy's father.Video shows car before crash in Highlands RanchBut on Friday night, the teen's life was cut short. He was in a Highlands Ranch crash that was captured on video by the dash camera of a private vehicle nearby. It shows the car, where Tavion was in the backseat, pa...