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Oklahoma governor calls on officials to resign over recording of racist and threatening remarks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

(CNN) — The governor of Oklahoma is calling on four McCurtain County officials to resign after they allegedly participated in a secretly recorded conversation that included racist remarks about lynching Black people and talking about killing journalists.The McCurtain Gazette-News over the weekend published the audio it said was recorded following a Board of Commissioners meeting on March 6.The paper said the audio of the meeting was legally obtained, but the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it was illegally recorded and is investigating. The sheriff’s office also said it believes the recording had been altered.“I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement Sunday. “There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their resp...

Chinese acrobat falls to her death during mid-air performance with husband

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

(CNN) — A Chinese acrobat has fallen to her death during an aerial silks performance, sparking horror and outcry on social media over the lack of safety measures.The woman, surnamed Sun, fell to the stage while performing a mid-air routine on Saturday with her husband in a village near the city of Suzhou in central Anhui province. She was taken to hospital but died of her injuries, the Tongqiao district government said in a statement Monday.Online footage of the incident showed the couple being pulled high into the air by a crane above a large outdoor stage, with the woman holding on to her husband whose arms were wrapped around two pieces of fabric hanging from the crane.As they swung in mid-air, the woman wrapped her arms around her husband’s head and hung off him during a transition act. But she lost her grip and plunged to the hard stage amid screams from the crowd. Her husband attempted to catch her with his legs but failed, the footage showed.Videos of the horrific...

Suspect in Pentagon leaks case to appear in court for hearing on whether he is kept in jail until trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

(CNN) — The Air National Guardsman accused of posting a trove of classified documents to social media will be back in court Wednesday for a hearing on whether he will be kept in jail.Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, is accused of posting classified intelligence — including sensitive information on the war in Ukraine — on the social media site Discord in a series of leaks that revealed the scope of US intelligence gathering on both its allies and adversaries.On Wednesday, a judge will decide whether Teixeira should continue to be detained as he faces charges under the Espionage Act.Prosecutors are expected to argue to a judge that Teixeira should stay behind bars during the course of his legal case. As part of their argument, prosecutors may disclose more details about Teixeira’s alleged actions to convince Magistrate Judge David Hennessy that Teixeira is either too dangerous to be released or that he poses a flight ...

How to view this week’s rare hybrid eclipse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

CNN) — A hybrid solar eclipse — the first of its kind in nearly 10 years — is on the way.During this rare celestial event, the moon will pass between Earth and the sun in such a way that people in its narrow central eclipse path, including parts of Australia, East Timor and Indonesia, will experience either an annular or a total eclipse, depending on where they are in relation to the moon.The hybrid eclipse will begin at 10:37 p.m. ET Wednesday and last until about 1:56 a.m. ET, according to EarthSky, with the greatest totality, when the moon fully covers the sun, occurring for just over one minute in Timor at 12:16 a.m. ET.What makes a hybrid eclipse uniqueOtherwise known as an annular-total eclipse, a hybrid eclipse is a function of Earth’s curvature and the event’s path. Due to their proximity to the moon at the time, in some areas the moon will appear to be the same size as the sun — the conditions for a total eclipse — while people in other locations will perc...

Belgian EU official gets shot in Sudan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

Wim Fransen, the head of the EU’s humanitarian agency in Sudan, was shot amid fighting in the country’s capital Khartoum on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson said Wednesday. The spokesperson confirmed Fransen was injured but declined to offer any details on the incident or on his current condition citing “security reasons.”The New York Times reported late Tuesday that Fransen, a Belgian, had been seriously wounded by a gunshot and was receiving medical attention, but that his life was not in danger, quoting four people familiar with the situation.Fransen, who is the head of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) office in Sudan, is the second EU official to be hurt in violence between rival military factions which erupted in Khartoum over the weekend.On Monday, Aidan O’Hara, the EU’s envoy to Sudan, was “assaulted” in his home. According to a spokesperson from the EU’s diplomatic service, O’...

Tiny troubles: Toddler infiltrates White House grounds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

(CNN) — A tiny intruder infiltrated White House grounds Tuesday, prompting a swift response from the US Secret Service.Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, said a toddler crawled through the fence on the north side of the White House, setting off security alerts.“The Secret Service Uniformed Division today encountered a curious young visitor along the White House north fence line who briefly entered White House ground,” Gugliemli said. “The White House security systems instantly triggered Secret Service officers and the toddler and parents were quickly reunited.”It’s not the first time a toddler has crawled through the White House fence. There was a similar incident in 2014 when a toddler squeezed through the White House fence just before then-President Barack Obama was about to address the nation on Iraq. The breach prompted a temporary lockdown and delayed the briefing.“We were going to wait until he...

Chicago Bears Q&A: What are the pros and cons of trading down? What about moving up? Odds Ryan Poles lands Jalen Carter?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

We’re only eight days from the centerpiece event of a significant Chicago Bears offseason: the NFL draft on April 27-29 in Kansas City, Mo.Who will the Bears pick at No. 9, or will they trade down again — or even back up? And where does Kansas City’s famed barbecue rank among NFL cities? The Tribune’s Brad Biggs tries to answer them all in his weekly Bears mailbag.What are the pros and cons of the Bears trading down in the first round? — Kenny B., PeoriaThe most obvious motivation for trading down would be to add more depth to this draft class and potentially to the cache of 2024 picks, depending on how far down the board Ryan Poles is willing to slide. The Bears have a pretty big gap from their first pick at No. 9 and their next selection at No. 53, the pick they received from the Baltimore Ravens in the Roquan Smith trade. If Poles can trade down and feel confident about the player he can land and bridge that gap before the second pick, that might be ...

Dolphins NFL draft options: Edge rushers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

The South Florida Sun Sentinel continues its eight-part series previewing top players in the 2023 NFL draft (April 27-29) with edge rushers. As the game has leaned toward offenses passing more, defenses have leaned more toward acquiring good edge rushers, the guys who put pressure on the quarterbacks and disrupt the passing game.Yes, the shutdown cornerback is still a vital part of limiting the passing game, but edge rushers cause greater upheaval.Look no further than the Dolphins as evidence.The Dolphins gave up a first-round pick in November to obtain edge rusher Bradley Chubb. They paired him with fellow edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, a 2021 first-round pick, and they’re hoping to cause havoc up front.The edge rusher is vitally important in today’s NFL.Will Anderson Jr., AlabamaAnderson (6 foot 3, 253 pound) is one of the most decorated players in recent history, winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy twice, being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year twice, as well as win...

Dolphins have strong D-line but need to lock up Christian Wilkins with extension

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

The Miami Dolphins’ defensive line should undoubtedly be a strength of the team once again in 2023, but there’s a glaring remaining task — or two — that should be checked off the to-do list this offseason.The Dolphins need to reach a long-term extension with standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who is set to play on the fifth year of his rookie contract in 2023 after that option was exercised last offseason. And, in the same breath, it might be in the franchise’s best interest to also reach a deal with fellow defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who similarly heads into a contract year this fall.The combination of the two 27-year-olds that have blossomed since they were brought together late in the 2019 season could spearhead Miami’s defensive front for years to come.Both Wilkins and Sieler are under contract through at least the 2023 season. Nose tackle Raekwon Davis, a 2020 second-round pick, enters the final year of his rookie deal. Defensive ...

NFL Draft 2023: Lukas Van Ness and 7 potential Patriots pass rushers to watch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:56 GMT

Welcome to Potential Patriots!Each day leading up to the NFL Draft on April 27, the Herald will introduce prospects the Patriots are likely targeting position by position. The Pats have 11 picks this year, starting at 14th overall, their highest selection in more than a decade. As for their other picks, the Patriots could pad their depth at virtually any position.Below is a breakdown of the Patriots’ best prospect fits at edge rusher:CornerbacksWide receiversDay 1Lukas Van Ness, IowaHt/Wt: 6-5, 275Projected round: 1stScouting report: One of the most gifted athletes in the entire draft, Van Ness is bursting with potential and could play across the Patriots’ defensive line. He’s explosive, fast, fierce, powerful and plays with bend around the edge. The Pats hosted Van Ness on a pre-draft visit in Foxboro, surely with a stamp of approval from his head coach, Kirk Ferentz, a Bill Belichick confidant. Van Ness had two blocked punts last year and tallied 11 TFLs and 6.5 ...