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Harris visits Ghana’s president, promises aid, investments

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday praised Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo for his “democratic principles” during a visit with the West African leader, who’s facing rising discontent over inflation and fresh concerns about regional security.Harris is just beginning a weeklong trip to the continent that will also take her to Tanzania and Zambia, part of a concerted effort to broaden U.S. outreach at a time when China and Russia have entrenched interests of their own in Africa.On Monday, the vice president was welcomed into the Ghanaian presidential palace, called the Jubilee House, where she promised assistance with security in the nation and increased investments there.“As president of Ghana, you have been very courageous and forward in terms of standing for democratic principles,” Harris said to Akufo-Addo. “I thank you for the friendship you have offered the United States”Akufo-Addo oversaw one of the world’s fast-growing economies...

Sicilian swordfish cooks gently in rustic tomato-caper sauce

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

From May to August each year, the turbulent waters between Sicily and Calabria erupt with fishermen searching for what’s known as the king of the strait, swordfish. Once on land, the massive fish is cut into succulent steaks for one of Southern Italy’s most emblematic summertime dishes, pesce spada alla ghiotta.The name, which means “swordfish in glutton’s style,” is a reference to the wealth of delicious ingredients that flavor a rustic tomato sauce. Rife with briny capers, olives, garlic, red pepper flakes and basil, it’s something like a saucy, seafood version of puttanesca.In the version from our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region, swordfish steaks are browned in olive oil and finish cooking in the garlicky tomato sauce. Capers and basil infuse the dish with bold Mediterranean flavors.To make it a complete one-pan meal, we add Yukon Gold potatoes. Cutting the potatoes into small, ½-inch pieces ensures they cook completely...

Thousands of pounds of boneless beef chuck recalled over possible E.coli

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

Thousands of pounds of boneless beef chuck have been recalled due to possible E. coli bacteria.Maryland is one of nine states that received the meat that was packed on Feb. 16 and shipped to distributors.The meat is a product from Elkhorn Valley Packing, a Harper, Kan. establishment. The company is voluntarily recalling more than 3,400 pounds of the boneless beef chuck.More Business NewsMore Recalls NewsA news release from the Department of Agriculture said that the meat may contain Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.It was shipped to distributors, federal establishments, retail locations and wholesale locations, which includes hotels, restaurants and institutions.The recall happened after a sample of the meat came back positive for the bacteria during routine testing.Symptoms of ingesting the bacteria includes diarrhea and vomiting with some illnesses lasting longer. Infection of the bacteria is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample.The USDA says distributors and others who hav...

New Hubble images reveal stunning seasonal transformations on Uranus, Jupiter

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured some stunning new images revealing the changing seasonal conditions on two of our solar system’s largest planets – Uranus and Jupiter.The icy gas giant Uranus is particularly intriguing, as it follows an unusual 84-year orbit around the sun while also rolling on its side. This means that for 42 years at a time, parts of one hemisphere are without sunlight, creating extreme seasonal changes on the planet’s surface.Thanks to the Hubble telescope’s powerful imaging capabilities, scientists can now observe these seasonal transformations in greater detail than ever before. Images captured just seven years apart show the planet’s orientation shifting significantly as it moves along its orbit.But it’s not just Uranus that’s caught the attention of astronomers. Hubble has also been tracking the changing weather patterns on Jupiter, another gas giant in our solar system. The telescope’s observati...

Jeremy Renner shows off strides in recovery on treadmill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

(CNN) — Jeremy Renner is continuing on his road of recovery and taking his followers along with him.The “Mayor of Kingstown” star posted on the Instastories portion of his verified Instagram account over the weekend and shared a video in which he was doing physical therapy on an anti-gravity treadmill.Renner can be heard saying that the machine allows him to only feel “40% of my weight” while walking.According to the Running Physio site, such treadmills “feature a bubble that inflates with air, then surrounds the user’s lower body. This gently lifts them off the treadmill which reduces pressure on the lower body.”The actor was crushed by a snow plow he had been operating on New Year’s Day near his Nevada home.Since then, Renner has been sharing posts about his miraculous recovery.“Now is the time for my body to rest and recover from my will,” Renner captioned his weekend video.

2 tigers recaptured after escaping Georgia safari park during tornado warning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

(CNN) — Two tigers have been recaptured after escaping a Georgia safari park during a tornado warning Sunday morning, according to the park.In a Facebook post, the Wild Animal Safari park in Pine Mountain wrote that it sustained “extensive tornado damage.”No staff or animals were injured but “several animal enclosures” were breached and “two tigers briefly escaped,” said the park.Since then, both big cats have been “found, tranquilized, and safely returned to a safe enclosure.”Wild Animal Safari, a drive-through park, is home to over 75 species of animals housed on 250 acres of land, its website says. Tigers are included in the park’s “walkabout” section, where guests can observe animals in a more zoo-like environment, the website says.In a Sunday morning Facebook post, the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report of a tiger “unaccounted” for inside the park in Pine Mountain, Geo...

Humza Yousaf narrowly elected new Scottish National Party leader

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

LONDON — Humza Yousaf has replaced Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party in a narrow victory over main rival Kate Forbes, the party announced Monday.Currently the Scottish government’s health secretary, Yousaf will become Scotland’s next first minister this week. After second preference votes were taken into account, he won 52.1 percent of the vote to 47.9 percent for rival Forbes.It represents a slim margin of victory over Forbes, an SNP rising star who ran as a change candidate with occasional attacks on Yousaf and the SNP’s record in government. Yousaf is close to Sturgeon and ran promising continuity — but the result highlights the mammoth task he’ll face in reuniting a party rocked by a divisive contest.Speaking at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield stadium, where the results were announced, Yousaf vowed to “lead the SNP in the interests of all party members, not just those who voted for me” and “lead Scot...

GM Pick Eng Pledges ‘New Way Of Doing Business’ At MBTA

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

Phillip Eng, the former president of the Long Island Rail Road, will become the next top leader at the MBTA as Gov. Maura Healey’s administration sets out to put the ailing transit agency on firmer footing. Healey’s office announced Monday morning that it settled on Eng, who retired from the LIRR in February 2022 after four years at its helm in which the commuter rail system reported its best-ever on-time performance, as the next top leader at the T. His appointment brings to a close a months-long search process that began before Healey took the oath of office. “Phil Eng is the proven leader the MBTA needs to improve safety and reliability across the system and restore the public’s trust,” Healey said in a statement. “He understands that a functioning transportation system is essential to a functioning economy, and he has a track record of taking the reins of struggling public transit systems and dramatically improving service. He also takes ...

MBTA: Shuttle buses to replace Orange Line trains between North Station and Wellington

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

The MBTA says shuttle buses will replace all Orange Line trains between North Station and Wellington starting Monday.The shuttle buses will start running after 8:45 a.m. and continue until the end of service.The T says this change will be in place through Thursday.The MBTA says shuttle service is part of the systemwide effort to improve safety and remove speed restrictions.https://twitter.com/MBTA/status/1640337878843551747?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EtweetOther lines are getting new service options as well. Starting Monday, Commuter Rail service will be available for Green Line riders and ferry service for Blue Line riders. The Haverhill line of the Commuter Rail will also be available for Orange Line riders. https://twitter.com/MBTA/status/1639999463547600896

Death toll climbs to 7 in Pennsylvania candy factory explosion as all missing individuals are accounted for, officials say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:58:41 GMT

(CNN) — Two additional bodies have been found by search and rescue teams working to locate missing individuals after the explosion of an eastern Pennsylvania candy factory last week, raising the incident’s death toll to seven people, officials said Sunday.“We do believe them to be the remaining presumptive missing individuals,” Wayne Holben, Chief of the West Reading Police Department, said at a news conference.Now that all missing individuals have been accounted for, the focus will shift to an investigation of the explosion, West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag said.The explosion erupted shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, leveling the R.M. Palmer Co. facility and stunning West Reading — a community of about 4,500 people that has been home to the chocolatier’s operation for more than six decades.Three buildings surrounding the factory will be condemned as a precaution, Kaag said. She explained that the buildings need to be assessed by structural ...