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Emerging COVID variant is spreading ahead of the holidays. Are you still protected?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

Irene Wright | (TNS) The Charlotte ObserverFor a third season, COVID-19 cases are rising ahead of the holidays, this time with a more recent variant driving infections.JN.1, a variant of omicron, now accounts for an estimated 21% of new infections in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.Cases of JN. 1 infections rose from just more than 8% at the end of November to double digits by Dec. 9, according to CDC data.International health experts say the sudden jump isn’t cause for concern – yet.Here’s what you need to know:What is JN.1?The JN.1 variant is closely related to another omicron subvariant named BA.2.86, according to the CDC.Health officials started tracking BA.2.86 in August but noticed some cases had a single change to the spike protein, the part of a virus that penetrates host cells to cause infection, according to the CDC.JN.1 was first detected as its own variant in the United States in September, the CDC reported, and has since been id...

Robbers are following shoppers home, Alameda police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

(KRON) -- If you are out holiday shopping this week and it feels like you're being followed, do not go home, the Alameda Police Department said.APD sent out an alert to all Alameda residents warning of a spike in grand thefts and robberies victimizing shoppers. Police said they received multiple reports from victims who were followed home recently.The shoppers were victims of grand thefts and robberies, police said. "Your safety is a top priority and we want to ensure you have the information you need to protect yourselves," police wrote. If you are driving and suspect that a vehicle is following behind you, make a series of turns and change directions to determine if your suspicions are right, Alameda police said. If you are still being followed, head to a public place or police station. APD continued, "Do not go home. Avoid leading people to your residence. Call 911, remain on the phone with the dispatcher, and provide your exact location. If possible, note the suspect’s appearanc...

Cancer-causing chemicals found in soil at former Richmond dry cleaning business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

(KRON) -- A high concentration of cancer-causing chemicals was found in the soil at a former dry-cleaning business in Richmond this week, according to the Contra Costa County Department of Health. The department was notified of the chemicals by the California Department of Toxic Substance Control. Bay Area city makes list of most dangerous in the US, study finds Results of a soil gas sampling cited by DTSC revealed unsafe levels of chemicals that included:tetrachloroethylene (PCE)trichloroethylene (TCE)vinyl chloridebenzeneOther chemicals known to cause cancer and non-cancer adverse effects were also found at the cite, Contra Costa Health said. Dry cleaning businesses operated at the site at 2022 Barrett Avenue from at least 1960 to 2001, officials said.The building at that address is now occupied by an unrelated business.DTSC began investigating the site back in September due to its former use as a dry cleaner business. Soil gas samples were taken from a public right-of-way adjac...

Man who advertised 'free meth for new users' outside SF grade school convicted

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

(KRON) – The District Attorney’s office has convicted Joseph Moore of willfully and unlawfully committing a public nuisance trial by jury, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced on Friday.  One person dead in Vallejo shooting According to the trial’s testimony and evidence, Moore, 46, piled his belongings near Ninth Avenue and Geary Boulevard, taking up half of the sidewalk and blocking access to the e-bikes. Moore displayed signs advertising “Meth for Stolen Items” and “Free Fentanyl for New Users” across the street from Stella Maris Academy, which is a preschool on October 19 and October 20, 2023. “I would like to thank the jury for their service in this case,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This verdict sends a clear message that Mr. Moore’s conduct will not be condoned in San Francisco. While San Francisco remains a compassionate city we understand that we must prioritize and protect our children and their surroundings.”  Mo...

Joe Biden Abstains From Watered-Down U.N. Gaza Resolution, Then Takes Credit Anyway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

An estimated 570,000 people in the Gaza Strip are now starving. Three-quarters of the territory’s 36 hospitals are closed. The remaining nine, all in Southern Gaza, are “partially functional.” The shuttered hospitals in the north are serving as impromptu shelters for some of the 85 percent of Palestinians in Gaza who have been displaced, but did not trek south to escape the ravages of Israel’s ground invasion. Beyond an estimated death toll of 20,000, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, a devastating 355,000 are suffering from infectious diseases as conditions in the territory worsen.Amid all of this suffering, President Joe Biden delayed a U.N. vote for humanitarian aid to Gaza at least 8 times, watering it down until he felt satisfied enough to not veto it.The vote is on a U.N. Security Council proposal, put forward by the United Arab Emirates and repeatedly whittled down just for Biden, that calls for limiting the hostilities in Gaza and expanding aid distribution. Official...

Man United scoring drought a team problem, Ten Hag says. Højlund awaits first EPL goal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United’s inability to put the ball in the net is about more than just Rasmus Højlund, manager Erik ten Hag said on Friday.United paid $82 million to land the promising young striker, and while he’s delivered in the Champions League, the Denmark international has yet to score his first goal in the English Premier League.United’s scoring drought is at three games and counting ahead of Saturday’s game at West Ham.Ten Hag’s team has been blanked in four of its five matches in December. Unheralded midfielder Scott McTominay is the only United player to have scored this month — twice in a 2-1 home win over Chelsea on Dec. 6.“My philosophy (is) we have to attack with 11, so it’s not only about one player, it’s about everyone,” Ten Hag said. “We have to (make) the movements better, decision-making on the ball has to be better, and sometimes also we have to be more clinical.”The spotlight inevitably shines on the 20-year-old...

Report: Footballs in New England were deflated. But don’t blame the Patriots this time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

The special teams footballs used in Sunday’s game between Kansas City and New England were reportedly underinflated — not by the Patriots, this time — an ironic throwback to the Deflategate scandal that captivated the football world for parts of three seasons and led to penalties against the team and quarterback Tom Brady.MassLive.com reported on Thursday that the Patriots complained to the officials during the first half of the Chiefs’ 27-17 victory that the balls used by the punters and kickers — which are specially marked, and referred to as “K-balls” — were too soft. They were tested at halftime and found to be inflated to 11 psi, the website reported, instead of the league-mandated range of 12.5-13.5 psi.After the 2015 Deflategate fiasco, when the NFL ruled that the Patriots were intentionally using underinflated footballs, the league took control of the game balls away from the teams.“We were aware of it in the first quarter,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Friday. “...

Live updates | UN Security Council passes Gaza aid resolution, but without calling for a cease-fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

The U.N. Security Council passed a new resolution that calls for speeding up humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza, but without the original call for an “urgent suspension of hostilities” between Israel and Hamas.The United States and Russia abstained from Friday’s vote, which was delayed for days as diplomats sought to avoid a veto by the U.S., Israel’s closest ally. The U.N. says more than a half-million people are starving in Gaza because not enough food has entered the besieged territory as Israel keeps up its blistering campaign of airstrikes and ground operations for over 10 weeks. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians are crammed into shelters and tent camps as winter descends, raising fears about the spread of disease. Palestinian officials said Friday that the death toll has now exceeded 20,000 — around 1% of the territory’s prewar population. The Health Ministry in Gaza does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says more than 13...

Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU aprueba envío de ayuda a Gaza; EEUU se abstuvo de votar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

NACIONES UNIDAS — Después de varias demoras, el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU aprobó una resolución el viernes que llama a acelerar inmediatamente el envío de ayuda a los civiles desesperados en la Franja de Gaza, pero elimina el llamado original a la “suspensión urgente de hostilidades” entre Israel y Hamas.La votación fue de 13-0 con la abstención de Estados Unidos y Rusia. Anteriormente, Estados Unidos había vetado una enmienda rusa que hubiera restaurado el llamado a la suspensión de hostilidades. Esa votación fue de 10 a favor, Estados Unidos en contra y cuatro abstenciones. Israel y Hamas en guerra: ya son casi 21,000 las personas muertas Frente a sus ojos: Israel descubre un gran túnel en Gaza construido por Hamas El texto revisado fue negociado durante 10 días de diplomacia de alto nivel entre Estados Unidos, Emiratos Árabes Unidos en nombre de los países árabes y otros.La embajadora estadounidense Linda Thomas-Greenfield...

16 migrant buses arrive in Denver in 2 days as Speer encampment grows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:47:48 GMT

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story reported that 10 buses had arrived on Thursday, citing the information released by officials at the time. The city has shared new information that nine buses arrived on Thursday.DENVER (KDVR) — Residents who live near a migrant encampment at Zuni and Speer say the number of tents is growing and the trash is becoming a larger issue.On Thursday, nine buses arrived in Denver with 341 migrants inside. On Friday, an additional seven buses arrived. The city said that puts Denver on track to break 100 buses just in December. One of the main spots they're landing is an encampment at Zuni Street and Speer Boulevard. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox With more migrants coming in, residents' concerns are growing — one of those concerns being the trash created by a growing number of people in that one spot.Beau Blackford is one of those residents with concerns."I just keep seeing more buses show up and more and m...