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Homes feared destroyed by wildfire burning out of control on Australian city of Perth’s fringe

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

PERTH, Australia (AP) — A wildfire burning out of control on the outskirts of the Australian west coast city of Perth on Thursday appeared to have destroyed or damaged a number of homes.An emergency warning was issued for the eastern suburb of Parkerville where the fire started on Thursday morning. The alert warned that the fire posed a threat to lives and homes.Aerial video showed at least one house destroyed and others alight on Thursday. But the extent of the damage would not be known until inspection crews are able to survey the fire zone. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Western Australia Premier Roger Cook described a “troubling situation” where Perth’s urban fringe meets heavily wooded hills.“We all have grave concerns for the fire and in Parkerville and our hearts go out to all those people who are involved in that incident,” Cook told reporters.Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the blaze continued to escalate despite the efforts of firef...

South Korean court orders 2 Japanese companies to compensate wartime Korean workers for forced labor

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s top court ordered two Japanese companies to financially compensate more of their wartime Korean workers for forced labor, as it sided Thursday with its contentious 2018 verdicts that caused a huge setback in relations between the two countries.But observers say Thursday’s ruling won’t likely hurt bilateral ties much since Seoul and Tokyo, now governed by different leaders, are pushing hard to bolster their partnerships in the face of shared challenges like North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats and China’s increasing assertiveness.The Supreme Court ruled that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries must provide between 100 million and 150 million won ($76,700 and $115,000) in compensation to each of four plaintiffs — bereaved families of its former employees who were forced to work for the company during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The court also said Nippon Steel Corp. must give 100 million won (about $76,700) to each of seven ...

Cat-owner duo in Ohio shares amputee journey while helping others through animal therapy

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

TROY, Ohio (AP) — Each morning when she wakes up, Juanita Mengel removes the silicone liner of her prosthetic leg out from under a heated blanket so that the metal parts of the artificial limb don’t feel as cold on her skin when she straps the pieces together. The 67-year-old Amanda, Ohio, resident then does the same for her 5-year-old dilute tortoiseshell cat, Lola-Pearl, who is missing her left hind leg.The duo is one of an estimated 200 therapy cat teams registered in the U.S. through Pet Partners. The nonprofit sets up owners and their pets as volunteer teams providing animal-assisted interventions, where they might visit hospitals, nursing homes or schools to aid in therapy and other activities to improve well-being in communities. “A therapy animal is an animal who’s been assessed based on their ability to meet new people and not just tolerate the interaction, but actively enjoy it,” said Taylor Chastain Griffin, the national director of animal-assisted interventions adv...

EU takes action against Elon Musk's X over disinformation

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

The European Union has formally announced it suspects X, previously known as Twitter, of breaching its rules in areas including countering illegal content and disinformation, writes Tom Singleton.Digital commissioner Thierry Breton set out the alleged infringements in a post on the social media platform.He said X, which is owned by Elon Musk, was also suspected of breaching its obligations on transparency.X said it was "co-operating with the regulatory process".In a statement the firm said it was "important that this process remains free of political influence and follows the law"."X is focused on creating a safe and inclusive environment for all users on our platform, while protecting freedom of expression, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards this goal," it added.These are the first formal proceedings launched under the Digital Services Act (DSA), the tough new rules for big tech firms the EU has introduced.The DSA places extra obligations on major companies to protect ...

Heavy rain collapses concrete planters at Southern California shopping mall

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

As heavy rainfall drenched Southern California on Wednesday, large concrete planters came crashing down at a shopping mall in Rolling Hills Estates.Around 60 to 80 feet of dirt-filled planters and flower boxes tumbled over a parking lot entrance at Promenade on the Peninsula around 2 p.m. A witness, Dana Graham, was sitting in his realty office across the street when he saw the concrete structures collapse. “I was sitting at my desk and I heard what sounded like a really bad traffic accident,” Graham recalled. “The water was cascading off the top level. It was like Niagara Falls. I’m glad nobody was under it when it collapsed because they wouldn’t be around.”Large concrete planter boxes came crashing down at a shopping mall in Rolling Hills Estates due to heavy rain on Dec. 20, 2023. (KTLA)Large concrete planter boxes came crashing down at a shopping mall in Rolling Hills Estates due to heavy rain on Dec. 20, 2023. (KTLA)Large concrete planter boxes came crashing down at a shopping ...

Oakley man shot and killed outside his home

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

OAKLEY – A 24-year-old man was shot and killed outside his home Wednesday in Oakley, police said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Originally charged with kidnapping woman over $11,000 theft, Oakland man pleads to gun charge for probation Crime and Public Safety | Woman found dead inside stolen vehicle in Oakland had been shot Crime and Public Safety | Man fatally shot in East Oakland Crime and Public Safety | Community opposition shuts down East Bay jail expansion project indefinitely Crime and Public Safety | Woman killed in Oakland traffic collision is identified; suspect facing multiple charges Shots were reported around 4:50 p.m. in the 1400 block of Rutherford Lane, near Vintage Parkway Elementary, Oakley police Chief Paul Beard said in a statement. Officers arrived to find the victim in his vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.The victim received emergency medical care but was pr...

Vallejo PD hold town hall on police shooting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

VALLEJO, Calif. (KRON) – Vallejo police are starting a dialogue about a recent incident that led to an officer shooting a suspect. It happened on Nov. 20, and the man did survive.The Vallejo Police Department held a community town hall Wednesday night in an effort to build back the community’s trust and provide maximum transparency. They discussed the initial investigative steps after an officer shot a suspect back on Nov. 20.Police say the officer was trying to arrest two people in connection to an armed robbery. One of the suspects was a juvenile.VPD says they will be conducting an administrative investigation while the Solano County Major Crimes task force handles the criminal investigation. Some questions couldn’t be answered because it’s still an active investigation -- prompting concerns from many residents. Pizza delivery man shot dead in his car in Oakley “I believe that the citizens of Vallejo deserved and have earned the right to be told the truth,” one resident said.&nb...

Car involved in multiple crashes during chase in SF's Mission District

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A suspect was taken into custody in San Francisco Wednesday after crashing their vehicle into multiple cars during a police chase. One crash involved a San Francisco Police Department car. SFPD responded to the report of a suspicious vehicle on the 400 block of Jersey Street at about 5:07 p.m. Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the car drove off. Serial Bay Area shoplifter arrested 90 times It rammed into a marked SFPD car as it took off, initiating a chase. The pursuit ended when the suspect car was involved in another crash at Harrison Street and Cesar Chavez Street. The driver was taken into custody and hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. Charges are pending an investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact SFPD at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with "SFPD."

Amey leads San Jose State past Santa Clara 81-78

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Myron Amey Jr. scored 17 points and sealed the victory with a free throw with 29 seconds remaining as San Jose State took down Santa Clara 81-78 on Wednesday night.Amey’s free throws gave San Jose State a 77-76 lead. Adama Bal’s layup pulled Santa Clara to 79-78 with five seconds left. Alvaro Cardenas added a pair of free throws for the Spartans with three seconds to go, and Bal missed a 3 to end it. Amey added nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals for the Spartans (7-6). Cardenas scored 14 points and added 10 assists. Latrell Davis and Tibet Gorener added 12 points apiece.Carlos Marshall Jr. led the Broncos (8-5) in scoring, finishing with 29 points and six assists. Bal added 14 points and five assists for Santa Clara. Camaron Tongue also had 11 points.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Toyota retira 1 millón de vehículos por falla en el sensor de la bolsa de aire

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:29:54 GMT

(CNN) —  Toyota está retirando del mercado alrededor de 1 millón de automóviles y SUV en los Estados Unidos debido a un posible defecto que podría provocar que la bolsa de aire del pasajero no se despliegue en un choque.El retiro del mercado involucra 15 modelos diferentes de Toyota y Lexus de los años 2020 y 2021, incluidos Toyota Camry, Rav4, Sienna y Lexus RX350 y ES350. Lexus es la marca de vehículos de lujo de Toyota.En concreto, el sensor del Sistema de Clasificación de Ocupantes que detecta cuando alguien está sentado en el asiento del pasajero delantero podría sufrir un cortocircuito. En algunos de estos vehículos el sensor fue fabricado incorrectamente.El sensor OCS puede indicar aproximadamente el peso de una persona, dando una indicación de si el pasajero del asiento delantero es un adulto o un niño. Si se detecta un niño en el asiento del pasajero delantero, es posible que la bolsa de aire no se despliegue en un choque porque la fuerza de la bolsa de aire podría le...