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Powerful earthquake in Morocco kills more than 800, damages historic buildings in Marrakech

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — A rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night, killing more than 800 people and damaging buildings from villages in the Atlas Mountains to the historic city of Marrakech. But the full toll was not known as rescuers struggled to get through boulder-strewn roads to the remote mountain villages hit hardest.People woken by the quake ran into the streets in terror and disbelief. A man visiting a nearby apartment said dishes and wall hangings began raining down, and people were knocked off their feet and chairs. A woman described fleeing her house after an “intense vibration.’’ A man holding a child said he was jarred awake in bed by the shaking.State television showed people clustered in the streets of Marrakech, afraid to go back inside buildings that might still be unstable. Many wrapped themselves in blankets as they tried to sleep outside.The magnitude 6.8 quake was the hardest to hit Morocco in 120 years, and it toppled buildings and walls in...

Cases of COVID-19 are on the rise – here's how you can still get free tests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

(NewsNation) — COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths are climbing heading into the fall, and although free testing isn’t as widely accessible as it once was, low- or no-cost tests may still be available.The government’s program that mailed free tests through COVIDtests.gov has been suspended and as of June 1 is no longer accepting orders. Updated COVID-19 booster coming: What you need to know However, an estimated 10,000 Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) sites continue to support testing. Testing at those sites remains free for people without health insurance.Other community-based testing sites can be located on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.Health centers provide free or low-cost COVID-19 tests to people who meet certain criteria and may provide sliding fee discounts based on patients’ income and family size.Some insurance plans still reimburse for testing, according to CBS. Previously expired tests may still be usable, too.The expiration da...

Could Trump be blocked from ballot? 14th Amendment raises eligibility arguments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

Donald Trump’s campaign for a second term alongside his prosecution for seeking to block the transfer of power has raised questions over whether the former president can be barred from the ballot under a 14th Amendment provision targeting those involved in insurrections.A handful of Colorado residents have launched a suit to remove Trump from the ballot there, a challenge that hinges on a clause in the 14th Amendment that states no person shall hold elected office who "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the United States. Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which helped file the suit on behalf of six Republican and independent voters, equated the provision to other qualifications for running for office. “The 14th Amendment says that anybody who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection is disqualified,” Bookbinder told The Hill. “The Constitution says you need to be 35 y...

A wet 7-Day Forecast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Let's start today's discussion with some good news. First, rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast from today through at least Friday. Second, triple-digit highs are forecast only today and tomorrow.Friday's high at Camp Mabry was 107°, smashing the previous record of 102° in 2019. The high at Austin-Bergstrom was also 107°, easily besting the previous record of 103° in 1963.Most highs today will reach 101° to 105°. Today's record is 101° set in 2019. A Heat Advisory will begin at noon and last through 7 p.m. for 14 of our 15 counties. This is for highs up to 104° and heat index values approaching 109°.Gillespie County is the only county NOT under the Heat Advisory.Today's normal high is 93°Weekend forecastThe center of the upper-level high is over southwest New Mexico. It will continue to move further away from Central Texas leading to the lower temperatures this week. Highs in the 90s are predicted every day beginning Monday.Overnight showers and thunderstorms ...

Use your phone as a pocket tutor for study on the go

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

Autumn is edging closer, and the return to a more regular office schedule looms for many people — and with it, the waiting time for transportation, meetings and appointments. Games, reading, social-media scrolls or just zoning out are common ways to spend these spells, but if you want more mental stimulation, why not boost your brain with brief lessons in subjects that interest you? Here’s a guide to finding Android and iOS apps that turn your smartphone into a traveling pocket tutor.Learn a LanguageWeb-based academic courses and music lessons have boomed in the past few years, especially as remote learning became a part of pandemic life. Although Apple and Google have their own free translation apps, some people also found online language lessons useful. No one wants to hear you practice your French pronunciation on a commuter train, but several language-instruction apps offer free or inexpensive tutorials in vocabulary and grammar that you can do quietly or while wearing headphone...

Denver property owners may not start paying sidewalk fees until July under proposed delay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

Denver homeowners and businesses facing the prospect of paying new fees to fuel a voter-approved sidewalk repair and construction program may get a temporary reprieve as city leaders consider delaying the start by six months.City Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval has filed a proposal that would delay the launch of the city’s voter-approved sidewalk repair program fee from Jan. 1 to July 1. She said Friday that the delay would allow more time for fine-tuning of the fee program by a city task force to ensure the charges are collected in an equitable way.But the delay also would mean that city residents yearning for city crews to begin upgrading ragged walks and rollways in some neighborhoods — and filling in sidewalk gaps elsewhere — may have to wait longer, too. And it would reduce the first-year take, estimated at $40 million, by half.The council’s land use and infrastructure committee is set to consider the six-month delay in the effective date of the program on ...

What It Means To Be An Invisible Asian In The Shadow Of Model Minorities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

The author’s great uncle, former Prime Minister of Laos, Prince Boun Oum Na Champassak, standing behind former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and the last King of Laos, Sisavang Vatthana. Billingsley says due to pervasive stereotyping, many Asian Americans struggle to feel seen or heard — yet perceptions are changing.Growing up, some people saw me as part of the “model minority”.They assumed because I was Asian American, I was stereotypically well-off and driven — with parents who fit a certain mold. If you’re Asian American, people think you’re smart — that you have tiger parents and a career path planned out by the time you finish elementary school.The thing is, not everyone saw me that way. Being mixed with Southeast Asian, sometimes people expect the opposite to be true. The reality is that I’m an ethnically ambiguous child of mainly Chinese and Vietnamese parents from Laos.You might say I’m more of an “invisible Asian.” I was what comedian Ali Wong refers to as “half jungle As...

How an award winning short film director is working to help creatives avoid the pitfalls of evolving AI

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

As AI continues to become utilized by industries throughout the world it is becoming seen as a threat by many creatives and artists alike. In a world of abundant content AI gives people the ability to create an unlimited amount of music, films and imagery. With so much content that can be potentially generated by AI real artists face the risk of being put out of their jobs.Mikhail Saburov, writer and directorMikhail Saburov, a writer and director based in Los Angeles, is sharing how he believes artists can maintain their grasp on their careers and continue to showcase their work to the world. Saburov says that as AI becomes more commonplace the focus will shift from the work itself to the artist and story behind it.Saburov says creative works of art, whether it be painting, music or film aren’t always about the content but often it invokes an emotional reaction due to the human nature as well as labor involved. To help creatives use AI as a tool instead of losing their livelihoods t...

How Crosswords Have Adapted to Political, Technological, and Cultural Shifts Over Time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

Crosswords, with their black and white grids and intricate clues, are more than just a leisurely game. They are a testament to human creativity, intellect, and adaptability. Since their inception in the early 20th century, crosswords have undergone tremendous transformation, reflecting the seismic shifts in politics, technological advancements, and cultural dynamics. What started as a simple diversion during a newspaper’s holiday season has become an integral part of daily life for millions around the world. Crosswords challenge the mind and provide a connection to current events, historical milestones, and societal changes. The clues and answers within the grids have evolved, mirroring our language, values, norms, and beliefs. As we venture into this exploration of how crosswords have adapted to political, technological, and cultural shifts over time, we embark on a journey that is as multifaceted as the puzzles themselves. The evolution of crosswords tells a story that reach...

How Marissa Andrada Is Helping Educate Companies on DEI Initiatives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:11 GMT

DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) is a priority for most brands; that doesn’t mean it is automatically successful, though.JUST Capital recently reported that 94% of employers and 74% of employees say their organizations have committed to advancing DEI at work. However, 43% of both groups add that there’s still a long way to go before acceptable progress is made.The corporate world is ready for DEI, it just doesn’t necessarily know how to implement it. This is where a leader like Marissa Andrada can be a game-changer.Who Is Marissa Andrada?Marissa Andrada has positioned herself as the “Culture Master and Kindness Catalyst” within the work world. The successful executive and corporate influencer seeks to transform company cultures by putting people before goals, procedures and the bottom line.Andrada possesses the perfect blend of corporate experience and DEI acumen. She is the embodiment of empathy while simultaneously grasping the nuance of executing an empathetic leadership s...