Home

Congress grounds proposal to add flights at Reagan National Airport

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve the FAA reauthorization bill, but an amendment to add flights at Reagan National Airport was defeated.The vote for the five-year reauthorization of the FAA was 351-69, sending the legislation on to the Senate. The FAA reauthorization legislation includes a wide range of measures aimed at improving air safety, airport infrastructure and customer service.The amendment that would have added seven round-trip flights at Reagan National Airport had bipartisan support and was sponsored by Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah.It was defeated Wednesday night on a vote of 205-229, as the House considered a series of amendments to the FAA legislation.Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who strongly opposed the amendment, took issue with those who characterized it as a compromise.At one point, as many as 28 additional round-trip flights had been proposed.But Beyer said supporters of the latest amendment never reached out to Washington-area lawmakers.“Twenty per...

What are the 10 largest US lottery jackpots ever won?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

Here is a look at the 10 largest U.S. jackpots that have been won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)4. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)5. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)6. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)7. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)8. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)9. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)10. $754.6 million, Powerball, Feb. 6, 2023 (one ticket, from Washington state)___Sources: AP archives, www.megamillions.com and www.powerball.comSource

A flag carried by a Japanese soldier who was killed during World War II is returning to his family

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

A flag carried by a Japanese soldier killed in action during World War II was handed over Thursday by the USS Lexington Museum in Texas to a nonprofit organization for return to the man’s family.Known as a Good Luck Flag, it is covered with the signatures of Shigeyoshi Mutsuda, his family and friends. The Corpus Christi museum where it was displayed for 29 years gave the flag to the Obon Society, a nonprofit organization that has returned about 500 similar flags, known as non-biological human remains, to descendants of Japanese service members killed during the war.“This is all that’s left of this man” to return to his family, said Obon Society co-founder Rex Ziak. “They feel exactly the same as Americans when they receive the bones or teeth” of relatives who were identified and returned decades after being killed in war, he said.Hirofumi Murabayashi, consul general of Japan in Houston, expressed appreciation to the museum for willingly handing over the flag and said the trans...

Rangers and MLB unveil logo for 2024 All-Star Game that will be bigger than 1995 game Texas’ hosted

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The MLB All-Star Game has grown into a truly Texas-sized event since the last time the Rangers hosted the midsummer classic, and the countdown is on for next year’s festivities.Major League Baseball and the Rangers unveiled the logo Thursday for the 2024 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field, the retractable-roof stadium across the street from the open-air facility where the 1995 All-Star Game was played in extreme heat. The logo for the July 16 game includes an outline of Texas and has All-Star punctuated with the state’s emblematic star.“That Major League Baseball All-Star Game has grown into an entire week of activities,” said Chuck Morgan, the longtime public address announcer for the Rangers. “The All-Star experience has changed a lot since that game at The Ballpark in Arlington.”Globe Life Field opened in 2020, when the Rangers played their first season without fans there because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The stadium hosted the 2020 World Series...

US imposes new sanctions aimed at choking off Russia’s access to battlefield supplies and revenue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on roughly 120 firms and people from Russia to the United Arab Emirates to Kyrgyzstan in an effort to choke off Moscow’s access to products, money and financial channels that support its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions imposed by the Treasury and State departments target dozens of Russian mining, technology and munitions firms and commercial banks. In addition, a group of Kyrgyzstan-based electronics firms and its leadership were targeted as exporters of components and other technology to Russia. A UAE-based engineering company that sent dozens of shipments of electronics to Russia was also sanctioned. The latest sanctions build on those imposed on Russia when the U.S. and other Group of Seven nations rolled out a wave of global actions during a Japan summit in May.“Since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States, working with our allies and partners, has taken unprecedented steps to impose...

7 winning Powerball tickets sold in Colorado

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — While no one in Colorado won the Powerball jackpot — that $1.08 billion victory went to someone in California — locals still won big.The winning numbers for Wednesday night’s drawing were: white balls 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and red Powerball 24. The California Lottery said the jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles at Las Palmitas Mini Market. Casa Bonita employees demand answers, start petition Elsewhere in the country, 36 $1 million-winning tickets and three $2 million-winning tickets were sold. While none of those were in Colorado, winners here still lucked out for a total of $350,000.Powerball winners in ColoradoAccording to the Colorado Lottery, here's where the state's winning tickets were sold:Castle Rock: Two $50,000 tickets as 138559 King SoopersColorado Springs: Two $50,000 tickets at 48364 Loaf 'N Jug #41Erie: One $50,000 ticket at King Soopers Fuel Center #129Golden: One $50,000 ticket at 103172 Loaf 'N Jug #81Pueblo: One $50,000 ticket at Winners Co...

Violent altercation erupts over theater seats, BSO seeking assistance in identifying suspect

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

A seemingly routine night at the movies took a harrowing turn when a dispute over seating escalated into a violent attack, leaving a 63-year-old man injured. The Broward Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit detectives released surveillance footage of the incident, seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the aggressor responsible for the callous assault.According to BSO, the incident occurred on Monday, July 10, shortly before 10 p.m., at the AMC Pompano Beach 18 movie theater located at 2315 N. Federal Highway. The victim, an adult male, had purchased VIP tickets with advance seating for the screening.Upon entering the theater, the victim, accompanied by his wife, was shocked to find an unknown adult male and adult female sitting in their reserved seats. Authorities said the victim politely requested that the couple get up from their seats. However, the situation quickly turned when the unknown subject responded by standing up and aggressively confronting the vict...

A bison gores a woman near lakeside cabins in Yellowstone National Park, seriously injuring her

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

(CNN) — A bison gored a 47-year-old Arizona woman Monday morning in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, leaving her with significant injuries to her chest and abdomen, park officials said.The woman was walking with another person in a field near the Lake Lodge Cabins on Yellowstone Lake’s north shore when they saw two bison, the park said in a news release.The people turned to walk away from the bison, but one of the animals charged and gored the woman, the release reads.A helicopter took the woman to a hospital in Idaho. Details about the woman’s condition weren’t available, according to the release.“It is unknown how close the individuals were to the bison when it charged,” the release reads. “This incident remains under investigation.”Yellowstone was home to about 5,900 bison as of summer 2022, according to the National Park Service. The large herbivores have lived continuously in the area of the park since prehistoric times, despite almost going extinct during the 20th century...

Who is Maria Arena, the 4th MEP caught up in Qatargate?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

BRUSSELS — And then there were four. Belgian lawmaker Maria Arena became the fourth current member of the European Parliament this week to be fully embroiled in the Qatargate corruption scandal, seven months after a spate of high-profile arrests shook the EU to its core.She remains unquestioned, uncharged and the Belgian authorities have made no request to lift her parliamentary immunity. But police did conduct six raids at properties linked to the Belgian MEP and her family on Wednesday, in the latest twist in a scandal that prompted soul-searching and ethics reforms in the EU capital this year. Former Vice President and Greek MEP Eva Kaili, Belgian MEP Marc Tarabella and Italian MEP Andrea Cozzolino have spent time detained and charged in the scandal, while Pier Antonio Panzeri, an ex-MEP, admitted his guilt and struck a plea bargain in return for a reduced sentence when the time comes.Arena and the four current or former lawmakers charged in the scandal built their...

Macron sacks education, health ministers in mini-reshuffle

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:24:46 GMT

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron sacked Education Minister Pap Ndiaye and Health Minister François Braun in a small cabinet reshuffle Thursday, after confirming earlier this week that Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne would stay on in her role.  A long-time Macron supporter, 34-year-old Gabriel Attal, has been promoted to replace Ndiaye, and Aurélien Rousseau, Borne’s former chief of staff, takes over as health minister.Other party figures are also joining government ranks, including Aurore Bergé, leader of Macron’s Renaissance group in the National Assembly, who is taking over as the new solidarity minister. Thomas Cazenave will replace Attal as budget minister.The reshuffle has been described by French government officials as “adjustments” to government after the Elysée announced Macron was keeping Borne in the job. In the new line-up, the most embattled ministers were let go, while Macron loyalists were rewarded.Marlène Schiappa, who was junior minister for social econo...