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Communities struggle with disposing disposable e-cigarettes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

By Matthew Perrone | Associated PressWASHINGTON — With the growing popularity of disposable e-cigarettes, communities across the U.S. are confronting a new vaping problem: how to safely get rid of millions of small, battery-powered devices that are considered hazardous waste.For years, the debate surrounding vaping largely centered on its risks for high school and middle school students enticed by flavors like gummy bear, lemonade and watermelon.But the recent shift toward e-cigarettes that can’t be refilled has created a new environmental dilemma. The devices, which contain nicotine, lithium and other metals, cannot be reused or recycled. Under federal environmental law, they also aren’t supposed to go in the trash.U.S. teens and adults are buying roughly 12 million disposable vapes per month. With little federal guidance, local officials are finding their own ways to dispose of e-cigarettes collected from schools, colleges, vape shops and other sites.“We are in a...

Months after 2 killed in shooting-stabbing in Fairfax, family’s au pair charged with murder in 1 of the slayings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

Fairfax County police vehicle. (WTOP/Dave Dildine) Fairfax County police vehicle. (WTOP/Dave Dildine) It was a puzzling double killing in Fairfax County: A man shot to death inside the same Reston, Virginia, home where one of the residents, a 37-year-old mother, was found stabbed to death in her bedroom.At the time it happened in February, police said Christine Banfield’s husband had called 911 to report shooting a man he found inside his home who was stabbing his wife.But now, after nearly seven months and an “intensive and ongoing investigation,” police in Fairfax County say the family’s au pair has been charged with one of the killings.Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 23, has been charged with s...

More than 300 are arrested in a Capitol Hill demonstration urging a Israel-Hamas war cease-fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 300 people were arrested for illegally demonstrating and three people were charged with assaulting police after protesters descended on Capitol Hill to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Hundreds of demonstrators from Jewish advocacy groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now, poured into a congressional office building on Wednesday. They wore shirts that read “Jews say cease fire now” and they chanted “let Gaza live” and “not in my name” before they were detained by Capitol Police. Demonstrations are not allowed inside Capitol buildings, and police said they warned the crowd gathered in the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building to stop before they began making the arrests. The 305 people arrested for illegally demonstrating were subsequently released and those charged with assault were held in custody pending an appearance before a judge. A few liberal members of Congress have been pushing for a resolution in the lat...

Las fuerzas de seguridad de Uganda buscan a los responsables del homicidio de una pareja en su luna de miel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

(CNN) — El presidente de Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, afirma que las fuerzas de seguridad están tras la pista de un grupo rebelde vinculado a ISIS conocido como Fuerzas Democráticas Aliadas (ADF) al que se atribuye el asesinato de dos recién casados extranjeros que celebraban su luna de miel en un popular destino turístico del país.La pareja fue asesinada el martes junto a su guía de safari local en el Parque Nacional Queen Elizabeth, en el suroeste de Uganda, informó la policía, que añadió que el vehículo de las víctimas también fue incendiado por sus asesinos.La Autoridad de la Fauna y Flora Silvestres de Uganda dijo que los recién casados eran de nacionalidad británica y sudafricana, pero no facilitó sus nombres. Añadió que el parque nacional era “seguro” para los visitantes a pesar de la tragedia.El presidente Museveni, que calificó la matanza de “acto cobarde”, dijo que los rebeldes del ADF huían de una operación militar ugandesa cuando avistaron y mat...

Inside the LeBron numbers: The ‘kid from Akron’ is now the NBA’s oldest player

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

LeBron James was the youngest player on the floor when he made his NBA debut 20 years ago.He’s now the oldest player in the league.The Kid from Akron — what James still calls himself — isn’t a kid anymore, and the 38-year-old enters this season as the NBA’s most senior player. He was only No. 3 on that list last season, behind Udonis Haslem (who played his last game two days shy of turning 43) and Andre Iguodala (who retired at 39).James wasn’t the league’s youngest player as a rookie; Darko Milicic, the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft and taken one spot behind James, is a few months younger than James. Milicic made his debut two days after James did.Here’s a look inside the numbers as James is set to embark on his 21st NBA season, and first as the league’s eldest statesman:CHASING KAREEM — AGAINJust like last year, when he was pursuing the league’s all-time scoring mark, James is chasing a scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.Abdul-Jabbar averaged 23.4 points i...

Arkansas hosts Mississippi State with both teams seeking first Southeastern Conference wins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC) at Arkansas (2-5, 0-4), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)Line: Arkansas by 6 according to  FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Arkansas leads 18-14-1.WHAT’S AT STAKEArkansas and Mississippi State are both looking for their first Southeastern Conference win of the year. The Razorbacks are coming off a four-game stretch away from home in which they lost all four SEC opponents, all of them ranked in the Top 25. Arkansas can only suffer one more loss and still have a shot at becoming bowl-eligible. Mississippi State was predicted to finish last in the SEC West. Things were expected to be difficult after coach Mike Leach’s death in December.KEY MATCHUPArkansas’ offensive line has taken a step back this year. The Razorbacks were seventh in FBS in yards rushing per game last year, but 117th in 2023. They’re also 116th out of 133 FBS teams in sacks allowed, having given up 27 in seven games. Mississippi State hasn’t been exceptional stopping the run (59th) ...

Russian-American journalist charged in Russia with failing to register as a ‘foreign agent’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

A Russian-American journalist working for a U.S. government-funded media company has been detained in Russia and charged with failing to register as a “foreign agent,” her employer said Thursday.Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty editor Alsu Kurmasheva is the second U.S. journalist to be detained in Russia this year. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested for alleged spying in March. Kurmasheva, an editor with RFE/RL’s Tatar-Bashkir service, is being held in a temporary detention center, said Tatar-Inform, a state-held news agency in the Tatarstan republic. The Committee to Protect Journalists media rights organization called the accusations “spurious,” demanding that the charges be dropped and Kurmasheva released.Tatar-Inform posted video showing Kurmasheva being marched into an administrative building accompanied by four men, two of them wearing balaclavas. Tatar-Inform said that authorities accused Kurmasheva of collecting information about Russia’s m...

Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon goes for his 4th straight 100-yard rushing game at West Virginia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

Oklahoma State (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) at West Virginia (4-2, 2-1 Big 12), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)Line: West Virginia by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.Series record: Oklahoma State leads 9-5.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Oklahoma State is going after its third straight victory. West Virginia saw its four-game winning streak snapped on a last-second Hail Mary touchdown pass at Houston last week. The Cowboys haven’t played a road game in a month while the Mountaineers will have their first home game in that span. The winner will remain close to the top of the tight Big 12 standings, while the loser’s hopes at reaching the league championship game will take a hit. KEY MATCHUPOklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon against West Virginia’s defense. The sophomore set career highs against Kansas last week with 168 rushing yards and one touchdown while catching six passes for 116 yards and another score. Gordon has three straight 100-yard performances on the ground. West Virginia has al...

Stanford looks to build on epic comeback when the Cardinal host No. 25 UCLA

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — When coach Troy Taylor arrived at Stanford, he knew it would be a challenge to rebuild a program coming off back-to-back three-win seasons.Year one hasn’t been smooth so far for Taylor and the Cardinal but they got something positive to build off after last week’s school-record comeback from 29 points down to beat Colorado on Joshua Karty’s game-winning field goal in double overtime.“Once it goes through and the game’s over, then it all kinds of hits you,” Taylor said. “Then you just enjoy watching everybody being so happy. Then you try to breathe it in as much as possible because you realize how unique it is to be able to come back on the road. It is significant. It’s one of those things that you’ll remember it your entire life.”But the Cardinal (2-4, 1-3 Pac-12) know they can’t bask in the glow of that victory for long with another tough test upcoming in the loaded Pac-12 with a visit from No. 25 UCLA (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday nig...

Muere Burt Young, el recordado actor de “Rocky”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:05:12 GMT

Burt Young, quien protagonizó al cuñado de Rocky Balboa en la recordada película “Rocky, murió a los 83 años en Los Ángeles, California. Su hija, Anne Morea Steingieser, confirmó que el actor murió el pasado 8 de octubre.El trabajo del actor en la película ganadora del Oscar en 1976 le significó la nominación como Mejor Actor de Reparto.Young brilló como Paulie Pennino, el trabajador en un frigorífico que maltrataba a su hermana, protagonizada por Thalia Shire, quien termina en pareja con Rocky, en la piel de Sylvester Stallone. “¿Listo para boxear?” En video, Sylvester Stallone “hace guantes” con el papa Francisco Le dieron 2 o 3 años de vida: estrella de “Rocky” revela dura batalla contra el cáncer Precisamente, Stallone compartió en redes un emotivo mensaje tras la muerte del actor que en la película, hizo de asistente en el rincón del boxeador, a la orden del entrenador, protagonizado por Burgess Meredith.“A mi querido amigo, ...