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North Korea’s Kim boasts of achievements as he opens key year-end political meeting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised what he called achievements and victories that strengthened national power and boosted the country’s prestige this year, as he opened a key political meeting to set new policy goals for 2024, state media reported Wednesday.Experts said that during this week’s year-end plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, North Korea would likely hype its progress in arms development because the country lacks economic achievements amid persistent international sanctions and pandemic-related economic hardships. In his opening-day speech at the meeting that began Tuesday, Kim defined 2023 “as a year of great turn and great change both in name and reality, in which (North Korea) left a great trace in the glorious course of development in the efforts to improve the national power and enhance the prestige of the country,” according to the official Korean Central News Agency.KCNA said North Korea achieved a rapid advancement i...

National Weather Service warns of high surf for some of Hawaii’s shores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — The National Service warned Tuesday about high surf — up to 30 feet (9 meters) — along some of Hawaii’s shores.The high surfing warning was in effect for north- and west-facing shores of the islands of Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and Niihau and north-facing shores of Maui.Waves of 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) were expected, building to 25 to 30 feet (7.62 to 9 meters), Tuesday night through Wednesday along north shores. Ocean surges could affect coastal properties and roads, the weather service warning said. “Powerful longshore and rip currents will be present at most beaches,” the warning said. Derek Wroe, a meteorologist for the weather service in Honolulu, said large waves are not uncommon during Hawaii’s winter months. The Associated Press

Authorities identify remains found by hikers 47 years ago near the Arizona-Nevada border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) — Remains found by hikers in a shallow grave 47 years ago near a lake on the border of Arizona and Nevada have been identified.The man was Luis Alonso Paredes, who was from El Salvador but may have been living or working in the Las Vegas area at the time of his death, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.The remains were discovered on Nov. 23, 1976, in a desert area in northwestern Arizona, just east of Lake Mohave.According to the sheriff’s office, an autopsy at the time revealed that the victim was likely in his early to mid-30s and had been shot in the head at close range. But despite authorities collecting fingerprints during the autopsy, the case soon went cold and the victim remained nameless for close to five decades.The sheriff’s office said Tuesday in a news release that it revived its investigation in October by comparing the fingerprints to all available fingerprints records, leading to the identification.But aut...

'It's a miracle that he's alive': Crews rescue driver trapped for days after crash along I-94

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

PORTAGE, Ind. — Rescue operations were underway after authorities say a man who crashed days ago was found injured beneath a bridge along I-94 in Northwest Indiana on Tuesday afternoon.Emergency crews were called to the scene at 3:45 p.m. after two men found the vehicle while scouting for fishing locations near Salt Creek beneath the bridge.According to Indiana State Police, Nivardo Delatorre and his father-in-law Mario Garcia were walking near the creek when they spotted the crashed vehicle partially in the creek.The men said the crashed vehicle sparked their curiosity, so one of them went to look inside and found the body of a man inside.One of the men said they reached out to touch the trapped driver, who then turned around and relayed to them that he had crashed last Wednesday and was trapped inside the vehicle, unable to reach his cell phone to call for help.Emergency crews were able to extricate the driver from the vehicle, but police say he suffered potentially life-threateni...

Opinion: Why Jim Harbaugh isn't going to be a Chicago Bear

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

CHICAGO — Jim Harbaugh brings all the pomp, circumstance and rah-rah euphemisms that supercharge a fanbase, whether it be collegiately or professionally, but there are a number of roadblocks that may prevent him from trading the maize 'M' in Ann Arbor for the orange 'C' in Chicago.Yes, I have already talked about how the Bears need a coach like Harbaugh, but there are three things that stand out that will inevitably lead to Harbaugh staying at the University of Michigan, or taking his coaching talents elsewhere (and that's not even counting the Los Angeles Chargers job being more appealing) — the price of his resume, Matt Eberflus, and the structural change that would come with hiring Harbaugh. Last week: Bears need to at least call on Justin Herbert When I sat down to contemplate the possibility of Harbaugh trading the Big House for Soldier Field, one of the first thoughts that came to mind was a theme that plagues most Chicago sports — is he too pricey for ownership (in this cas...

Chicago studio gift makeovers to recently exonerated cousins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

CHICAGO — A new lease on life - and a new look - for two Chicago men recently released from prison. James Soto and David Ayala were welcomed into the Project Gentlemen Image and Grooming studio in Chicago on Tuesday, where they were outfitted with new clothes, shoes, grooming products, and more. The two cousins were wrongly imprisoned for 42 years for a McKinley Park double murder — the longest-serving wrongful conviction in Illinois history. Prosecutors drop all charges against Chicago man wrongfully convicted of 2011 murder; Darien Harris walks free Ayala was 18 at the time of the arrest. Soto was 20.Following their overturned convictions earlier this month, Tuesday's treatment aims to help the men with a look and step toward their futures."During my time in incarceration, I learned the value of work," Ayala told reporters. "I like getting an honest paycheck because I earned that paycheck."Soto said he plans to become a lawyer. "Being a lawyer, I'm going to be wearing plenty of ...

Dead bodies in car believed to be missing pregnant teen, boyfriend: Texas police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KVEO) — Two people found dead inside a car in Texas are believed to be a missing pregnant teen and her boyfriend, the San Antonio Police Department announced during a press conference Tuesday night.Police on the outskirts of San Antonio have been searching for 18-year-old Savannah Nicole Soto, who was last seen around 2 p.m. on Friday in Leon Valley.Her family said she was past her estimated delivery date.A CLEAR alert, which stands for coordinated law enforcement adult rescue, was issued for Soto after her family reported that she was missing. Authorities later found two bodies in a Kia Optima, described as the vehicle of Soto's boyfriend, outside of the Colinas at Medical apartment complex in San Antonio. Photo: Texas DPS“We do believe the two individuals are the female who was missing and her boyfriend,” Police Chief William McManus with the San Antonio Police Department said.According to police, Soto missed an essential medical appointment. CBS News reports s...

SAPD: Pregnant teen, boyfriend found dead in San Antonio

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A pregnant 18-year-old and her boyfriend are believed to be found dead inside a car, the San Antonio Police Department announced in a press conference.Earlier today the Leon Valley Police Department was searching for Savannah Nicole Soto, the pregnant 18-year-old.Preliminary investigation by detectives show two people were found dead inside a car outside of Colinas at Medical Apartments on the 5900 block of Danny Kaye Rd. "We do believe the two individuals are the female who was missing and her boyfriend," Police Chief William McManus with the San Antonio Police Department said.Both bodies were found in a Kia Optima car, which was described as the boyfriend's vehicle.It is unconfirmed if there were any weapons inside of the Kia Optima. Willacy County to pay family of man who died in jail $1M, attorney says A CLEAR alert was issued for Soto after her family reported that she was missing. Family said Soto was pregnant and past her delivery date. ...

A potato lover’s perfect recipe for ringing in the New Year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

By Melissa Clark, The New York TimesWhat’s the easiest way to a New Year’s party nosh? Pour a bag of potato chips into a bowl, spoon some sour cream into another bowl, and open a jar of caviar or salmon roe for dipping. It can be as luxurious or as thrifty as you like, depending on whether you splurge on the caviar. And everyone is sure to love it — especially the host, who now has a few minutes to arrange all of the glasses and bring out the bubbly.The second easiest might be this recipe, a more substantial version of that quick-and-tasty combination. It pairs the same thrilling flavors, rearranging them into a buttery and elegant tart.To make it, I toss cooked, sliced potatoes with sour cream, Parmesan and chives, which coat the potatoes, turning them glossy and extra savory. Then, I heap it all onto a sheet of prepared puff pastry and bake until golden.So far, it’s pretty standard potato tart fare, which would be lovely and understated enough without further enhancement: a ...

Dolphin-hunting killer whales are hanging around SoCal, and tour guides are loving it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:18 GMT

Southern California’s loveable dolphins are finding themselves on the wrong end of the food chain as a pod of killer whales continues to hunt them right off the coast - much to the delight of whale watchers and tour guides.The Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas were first spotted about two weeks ago by tours out of Long Beach and Newport Beach. Experts assumed the pod of about 10 killer whales would soon return to the warmer waters of Mexico where they are typically found.Midway through last week, they were spotted in San Diego and appeared to be headed south of the border. Instead, they turned around and returned to the waters off Orange County.A killer whale chases a dolphin off Laguna Beach, California on Dec. 24, 2023. (Newport Coastal Adventures)Orcas are seen off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula on Dec. 16, 2023. (Capt. Tyler Askari/Harbor Breeze Cruises)An orca is seen off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula on Dec. 16, 2023. (Capt. Tyler Askari/Harbor Breeze Cruises)A...