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Smelling smoke in Massachusetts? Nova Scotia wildfire plume overspreads the region

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

Have you been smelling smoke outside but don’t see a fire?Nova Scotia wildfire smoke made its way to Massachusetts on Tuesday, as those with a sensitive nose were able to smell the smoke as it pushed through the region. The smoke plume from Canada also impacted visibility in spots across southern New England.An “Air Quality Alert” was issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection with the wildfire smoke overspreading the Bay State.“Fine particle levels will elevate at times into the Moderate and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range as wildfire smoke influences our region,” the advisory stated. “An Air Quality Alert for elevated fine particle levels has been posted for areas of Mass through midnight tonight.”After the worst of the smoke moved through the state on Tuesday, less concentrated and less potent smoke is expected to stick around on Wednesday.“It should still haze up the skies, but it won’t be as thic...

50-year-old woman’s body found floating off Breakheart Reservation beach in Saugus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

A woman’s body was found in the water on Breakheart Reservation in Saugus.A man fishing at at the beach at the reservation saw the woman’s body floating and called 911 at around 11 a.m., according to Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio.Saugus Police officers responded to the scene and brought the woman’s body to shore. Emergency Medical Technicians declared the 50-year-old woman dead at the scene.Saugus Assistant Chief Ron Giorgetti described his department’s role to the Herald as “assisting with an unattended death at Breakheart Reservation,” and deferred all further comment to the State Police.MSP spokesman David Procopio said that the agency had deployed “patrols, crime scene techs and detectives on scene,” but at around 4:15 said that “there is no evidence of foul play.”Barring any developments, we are not releasing the decedent’s identity and do not expect to release any further update,” he said.T...

Suspect’s dislike for drugs, homelessness may have led to shootings that killed 4 in metro Phoenix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — A man’s strong dislike for drugs and homelessness may have led to five separate shootings in the Phoenix metro area that left four people dead and a woman wounded, authorities said Tuesday.Iren Byers, 20, was taken into custody Sunday on suspicion of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, Mesa police said.He remained jailed without bond Tuesday, and it wasn’t immediately known if Byers has a lawyer yet who can speak on his behalf. His next scheduled court appearance is Friday.Byers took responsibility for the shootings and told officers where they could find the clothes and 9mm handgun used in the crimes, police said.Video surveillance footage showed the suspect wearing the clothing reported by witnesses at multiple shooting scenes, police said.“He directed us to where not only the murder weapon was, but where the clothing was that he wore when he committed all four of these shootings (in Mesa) and basically laid out the...

Auditor general calls for immediate action to protect children and youth in Nunavut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

IQALUIT, Nunavut — Canada’s auditor general says early findings in a review of child and family services in Nunavut were so alarming that her office immediately raised concerns with the territorial government. A report by Karen Hogan released Tuesday found the territory is failing to protect vulnerable children and youth and to provide support to families, front-line workers and communities.“This report is more than statistics, trends and a compilation of facts — it is an urgent call to action,” Hogan said in a statement Tuesday.Among the findings were that the territory inadequately responded to reports of suspected harm, did not complete many investigations, did not sufficiently monitor the welfare of children in care, failed to meet obligations for the health and safety of employees, and could not provide accurate numbers of children in its care.In a sample of 26 children placed in 15 foster homes, for example, the report found many cases where staff from the Departme...

New Jersey prosecutors announce murder charge against Virginia man in fatal shooting of councilwoman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) — A Virginia man was arrested Tuesday on murder and gun charges in the February killing of a local councilwoman who was found fatally shot in her SUV outside her home, New Jersey prosecutors said. Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Cicconne said 28-year-old Rashid Ali Bynum, of Portsmouth, Virginia, was arrested on first-degree murder and two second-degree handgun charges in the death of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour. Ciccone said the investigation is still underway and didn’t directly address a motive in Dwumfour’s death. She said Bynum was linked to a church that Dwumfour belonged to. Bynum is awaiting extradition to New Jersey, Ciccone said. It’s unclear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. Dwumfour, a Republican, was elected to her first three-year term in 2021, when she ousted a Democratic incumbent. Colleagues recalled her as a soft-spoken devout Christian who could maintain her composure in contentious situat...

Manson follower Leslie Van Houten should be paroled, California appeals court rules

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court said Tuesday that Leslie Van Houten, who participated in two killings at the direction of cult leader Charles Manson in 1969, should be let out of prison on parole.The appellate court’s ruling reverses an earlier decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who rejected parole for Van Houten in 2020. She has been recommended for parole five times since 2016. All of those recommendations were rejected by either Newsom or former California Gov. Jerry Brown. California Attorney General Rob Bonta could ask the California Supreme Court to stop her release. Neither his office nor Newsom’s immediately responded to requests for comment on whether they would do so.Van Houten, now in her 70s, is serving a life sentence for helping Manson and other followers kill Leno LaBianca, a grocer in Los Angeles, and his wife Rosemary. Van Houten was 19 at the time.Newsom has said that Van Houten still poses a danger to society. In rejecting her parole, he said she o...

Stock market today: Wall Street churns to a mixed finish

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street churned to a mixed finish Tuesday as a long list of worries looms, even if the most pressing crisis seems to be calming as Washington moves to avoid a default on its debt.The S&P 500 edged up by 0.07, or less than 0.1%, to 4,205.52, hovering close to its highest level since August. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 50.56 points, or 0.2%, to 33,042.78. The Nasdaq composite, meanwhile, led the market with a 0.3% gain as excitement keeps building about artificial intelligence. It rose 41.74 to 13,017.43.Tuesday marked the U.S. stock market’s first trading since President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy struck a deal to allow the U.S. government to borrow more money, which would let it avoid a default on its debt. They now must convince Congress to approve it before the U.S. government runs out of cash to pay its bills, which could happen as soon as Monday.Some on Capitol Hill are unhappy about the deal’s details, and Biden and McC...

North Carolina senator pushing medical marijuana bill describes smoking pot during cancer fight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina General Assembly’s chief advocate for legalizing medical marijuana in the state revealed publicly on Tuesday how he smoked pot over 20 years ago to withstand discomforts of intense chemotherapy during a fight with cancer.Sen. Bill Rabon of Brunswick County has been working for years on a measure that lays out a structure for patients with serious and life-ending illnesses to lawfully obtain cannabis and smoke or consume it to gain relief. Legislative opponents of the idea — fewer than in previous years but still a significant bloc — argue that marijuana can lead to medical harm, only masks symptoms and would lead to making recreational use lawful.Rabon had described himself as a colon cancer survivor, but had been reticent on many details, particularly whether he had used marijuana, until pitching his bill in the House Health Committee three months after it passed the full Senate. The veterinarian recalled taking a few puffs at home aft...

S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points as price of oil falls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points as the price of oil fell and losses in energy, financial and base metal stocks helped lead the way lower, while U.S. markets were mixed.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 228.25 points at 19,739.70.In New York, where markets had been closed Monday for Memorial Day,the Dow Jones industrial average was down 50.56 points at 33,042.78. The S&P 500 index was up 0.07 points at 4,205.52, while the Nasdaq composite was up 41.74 points at 13,017.43. “It’s really just a continuation of the trends that we’ve seen in recent weeks,” said Stephen Duench, vice-president and portfolio manager for AGF Investments Inc. Investors are continuing to gravitate toward big tech names, especially those involved in artificial intelligence, said Duench.“It’s just like a race to (see) how big and how narrow the top of the market can be.”  Chipmaker Nvidia Corp. joined other giants like Alphabet, Apple and Microsoft in reach...

UN nuclear chief urges Russia and Ukraine to ban attacks at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:11:04 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. nuclear chief stressed Tuesday that the world is fortunate a nuclear accident hasn’t happened in Ukraine and asked Moscow and Kyiv to commit to preventing any attack on Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and make other pledges “to avoid the danger of a catastrophic incident.”Rafael Grossi reiterated to the U.N. Security Council what he told the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors in March: “We are rolling a dice and if this continues then one day our luck will run out.”The IAEA director general said avoiding a nuclear accident is possible if five principles are observed at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, where fighting on seven occasions, most recently last week, disrupted critical power supplies, “the last line of defense against a nuclear accident.”Grossi “respectfully and solemnly” asked Ukraine and Russia to observe the principles, saying IAEA experts at Zaporizhzhia will start monitoring and he will publicly report on a...