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Large fire breaks out at Germany’s biggest theme park, police says blaze is “under control”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A large fire broke out at Germany’s biggest theme park Monday, sending a dense plume of black smoke billowing into the sky visible from miles around.Police said the firefighters were at the scene and that the blaze at the Europa-Park in the town of Rust, near the French border, was “under control.”“All visitors are currently in the process of leaving the park in an orderly manner,” police in the southwestern town of Offenburg said. “There is currently no information about injured persons.”Regional daily Badische Zeitung reported that the fire is centered around the Spanish-themed section of the park and an area known as the Magic World of Diamonds.Europa-Park is a popular tourist destination, that drew more than six million visitors last year, mostly from Germany, France and Switzerland.It has1 6 areas with themes based on different European countries, and three based on fantasy settings. The park also hosts conferences and is a popular venue for events and telev...

Indigenous artist’s design chosen for Afghan war monument

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

OTTAWA — Veterans of the war in Afghanistan were influential in choosing the final design for a monument that will memorialize Canada’s contributions in the conflict. Artist Adrian Stimson, a member of Siksika First Nation in Alberta, says the design unveiled today is inspired by the medicine wheel, an important symbol in many Indigenous cultures. The materials are reminiscent of the bases in Afghanistan that Stimson visited while taking part in the Canadian Forces Artists Program.The monument is set to be built in the Lebreton Flats area across the street from the Canadian War Museum. Officials say a jury selected a different design, but a survey that got more than 10,000 responses showed that veterans preferred Stimson’s creation. A total of 158 Canadian Armed Forces members were killed during the 13-year mission in Afghanistan.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2023.The Canadian Press

WATCH LIVE | Local leaders mark Juneteenth with community ribbon cutting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

Live video: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) mark Juneteenth with a ribbon cutting event for Bright Star Community Outreach.DETROIT (AP) — Americans across the country this weekend celebrated Juneteenth, marking the relatively new national holiday with cookouts, parades and other gatherings as they commemorated the end of slavery after the Civil War. While many have treated the long holiday weekend as a reason for a party, others urged quiet reflection on America's often violent and oppressive treatment of its Black citizens. And still others have remarked at the strangeness of celebrating a federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the nation while many Americans are trying to stop parts of that history from being taught in public schools. “Is #Juneteenth the only federal holiday that some states have banned the teaching of its history and significance?” Author Michelle Duster asked on Twitter this weekend, referring to measures i...

Juneteenth celebrations kick off in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

CHICAGO — Residents in the city's Pullman neighborhood are marking Juneteenth with a day-long community recommitment celebration.A untraditional parade kicked the celebrations off Monday. Many drove in a car caravan through the residential blocks to encourage residents to take part in the Juneteenth celebrations.The parade then led into a block party along 104th and Corliss Streets. This year's them is "Paint The Hood Orange."The color orange represents the anti-gun violence movement and the event's mission of violence prevention.Additionally, more than 500 youth have signed up for a basketball tournament and championship games.While Juneteenth is when the last slaves were freed in Galveston, Texas — two years after the emancipation proclamation — the now federal holiday will be centered around youth basketball and a recommitment to community in the Pullman neighborhood.Organizers said the location of where all the events are happening is more important."It's important we celebrate ...

Marie Callender's frozen shepherd's pie recalled due to 'flexible plastic'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WHNT) — Nearly 3,000 pounds of frozen beef shepherd’s pie products have been recalled due to the possibility of "clear, flexible plastic" pieces.According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), 2,717 pounds of frozen dinners from Marie Callender's were recalled after the firm received several complaints from consumers. Sausage links recalled over possible ‘thin strands of black plastic’ Products affected by the recall were made on March 1, 2023, with time stamps ranging between 17:45-17:56 hours. Those products will also have the following information:4.31 lbs. cases of “MC Beef Shepherd’s Pie” with lot code 5006306020, BEST BY FEB 24 2024 and case code 2113100032, containing six 11.5 oz. carton packages of "Marie Callender’s BEEF SHEPHERD’S PIE” with lot code 5006306020 and BEST BY FEB 24 2024 on the side panel, with time stamps ranging between 17:45-17:56(USDA)(USDA)Next to the USDA mark of inspection, affected produc...

WATCH: Baby seal climbs onto California surfers' boards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) - A baby seal was spotted climbing from surfboard to surfboard near Pacific Beach in San Diego, riding the waves from above the water.The pup can be seen wiggling onto the boards of surfers in drone footage obtained by KSWB Saturday. SeaWorld, who was notified by the surfers after the seal first surfaced, sent a crew out to evaluate the pup. According to the theme park, the seal appeared healthy and was in the water when their team arrived.A seal climbing onto a surfer's board in Pacific Beach. (Courtesy of Edwin D. Hartel/@DroneDudeEd)A seal on a surfer's board in Pacific Beach. (Courtesy of Edwin D. Hartel/@DroneDudeEd)A seal climbing onto a surfer's board in Pacific Beach. (Courtesy of Edwin D. Hartel/@DroneDudeEd)"There was no need to intervene as the pup also appeared to be old enough to care for itself," SeaWorld said in a statement to KSWB. VIDEO: Wattled jacana chicks nestle under their father’s wing at San Diego Zoo The pup's mother was not found by SeaW...

IKEA Round Rock opens Juneteenth exhibit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

ROUND ROCK (KXAN) -- IKEA is known for its unique approach to shopping and affordable, eclectic furniture and decor, but the Round Rock location is adding something new to its store. IKEA Round Rock on Monday unveiled a Juneteenth exhibit that focuses on the history of the holiday, the store said in a press release. The exhibit was curated by Carre Adams, the museum director and curator for the Washington Carver Museum. The exhibit is the first of what the store said will be a monthly rotation of installations focusing on diversity and inclusion, as well as "culturally relevant holiday celebrations and commemorations, local history, Swedish history and sustainability."IKEA Round Rock opens Juneteenth exhibit in its restaurant. It's the first of what the store says will be monthly installations focusing on diversity and inclusion (Photo courtesy: IKEA/Natasha Vaughan-Johnson)IKEA Round Rock opens Juneteenth exhibit in its restaurant. It's the first of what the store says will be mont...

Texas library commission awarded $8M for expanded broadband access

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The U.S. Department of the Treasury awarded a nearly $8 million grant to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) to expand broadband access to community libraries.The $7.8 million in funds comes from the Library Infrastructure and Facility Access Improvement Grant and is designed to expand "high-quality modern infrastructure at Texas libraries," per a TSLAC release. TSLAC collaborated with the Texas Broadband Development Office throughout the funding proposal process. Lost your car keys? How an Austin library membership key tag can help The funding will specifically target libraries in rural communities, as well as those that fall under median national income levels, the release stated. The grant dollars can be used to "cover the costs of laying fiber, physical accommodation for broadband, and expanded and improved physical space for digital access projects," per the release.TSLAC said in the release it expects the funding to service one million Tex...

Metro Transit: A free ride on Rice Street, no late-night trains (yet) for Taylor Swift, the MVTA ‘Swiftie Bus,’ upcoming closures on I-94

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

When pop icon Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour takes over U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis next Friday and Saturday nights, some 70,000 fans will be there to greet her, as will festival-goers attending the city’s popular annual Pride celebration. What’s more up in the air is the status of public transportation.As of now, Metro Transit has no plans to deploy extra light rail trains downtown past the last regularly-scheduled departure at 11:30 p.m. each night.Strong public reaction — some might say “swift” outcry — has inspired the public transit authority to post a standing explanation on MetroTransit.org. The problem, according to the transit authority, isn’t budget or planning so much as labor, or lack thereof. There’s not enough light rail drivers.“While we would love to promise Swifties that we’ll be putting extra trains out later into the evening, we cannot confidently commit to doing so far in advance,&#...

A high-profile French nun sparks hope for Catholic women. Can she bring change?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:14:18 GMT

VATICAN CITY — In her years running Catholic youth programs in France, Sister Nathalie Becquart often invoked her own experience as a seasoned sailor in urging young people to weather the storms of their lives. “There’s nothing stronger than seeing the sunrise after a storm, the flat calm of the sea,” she says.That lesson is especially applicable to Becquart herself as she charts the global church through an unprecedented — and at times, tempestuous — period of reform as one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.Pope Francis named the 54-year-old nun as the first female undersecretary in the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops office in 2021. Since then, she has been crisscrossing the globe as the public face of his hallmark call to listen to rank-and-file Catholics and empower them to have a greater say in the life of the church.That process, which comes to a head in October with a big assembly, reaches a crucial point Tuesday with the publication of the working document for the meeti...