4 air crew members are missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched off the Queensland coast

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

4 air crew members are missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched off the Queensland coast BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Four air crew members were missing after an Australian army helicopter ditched into waters off the Queensland state coast during joint military exercises with the United States, officials said Saturday.The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter went down near Hamilton Island, a Great Barrier Reef tourist resort, at about 10:30 p.m. Friday, Defense Minister Richard Marles said.A search was underway to find the crew, and their families had been notified, officials said.A rescue helicopter reported spotting debris Saturday morning near Dent Island in the Whitsunday Islands group.The Taipan was taking part in Talisman Sabre, a biennial joint U.S.-Australian military exercise that is largely based in Queensland. This year’s exercise involves 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel.Marles said the helicopter ditched, which refers to an emergency landing on water. He said it was taking part in a mission that involved a second helicopter, which immediately started a ...

The UFO congressional hearing was ‘insulting’ to US employees, a top Pentagon official says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

The UFO congressional hearing was ‘insulting’ to US employees, a top Pentagon official says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Pentagon official has attacked this week’s widely watched congressional hearing on UFOs, calling the claims “insulting” to employees who are investigating sightings and accusing a key witness of not cooperating with the official U.S. government investigation.Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick’s letter, published on his personal LinkedIn page and circulated Friday across social media, criticizes much of the testimony from a retired Air Force intelligence officer that energized believers in extraterrestrial life and produced headlines around the world. Retired Air Force Maj. David Grusch testified Wednesday that the U.S. has concealed what he called a “multi-decade” program to collect and reverse-engineer “UAPs,” or unidentified aerial phenomena, the official government term for UFOs. Part of what the U.S. has recovered, Grusch testified, were non-human “biologics,” which he said he had not seen but had learned about from “people with direct knowledge of th...

Federal judge halts Montana ban on drag performances

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Federal judge halts Montana ban on drag performances (The Hill) — A federal judge in Montana issued a temporary restraining order on Friday, blocking the state from enforcing a law that bans certain drag performances, writing in an order that the law likely suffers from “constitutional maladies.”Montana’s House Bill 359, passed by the state’s majority Republican legislature and signed into law by GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte in May, prohibits schools or libraries that receive state funding from hosting a drag story hour or “sexually oriented performance.” Performances are also prohibited from taking place in public or in the presence of a minor. Trader Joe’s recalls falafel and broccoli cheddar soup for possible rocks, insects A group of 10 plaintiffs challenged the law in federal court earlier this month, arguing that the bill is “breathtakingly ambiguous and overbroad.” Plaintiffs include Adria Jawort, a transgender and two-spirit author whose lecture at a public library in Butte was canceled last month after officials determined that ...

Mayor Watson talks $65M to fight Austin homelessness, 'Death Star' litigation

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Mayor Watson talks $65M to fight Austin homelessness, 'Death Star' litigation Part of the mission of KXAN News is to foster a more informed and engaged community. We deliver in-depth coverage on topics like affordability, safety and mobility that affect the daily lives of Central Texans. And we explore sustainable solutions to economic, systemic and social problems. One way to achieve those goals is providing direct and consistent access to leaders who make decisions that shape local policy — seeking to understand their stances, holding them accountable for promises and asking tough questions when needed. This series of interviews with City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is designed with that in mind.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following his announcement of $65 million in state funding to combat homelessness, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson sat down with KXAN's Daniel Marin on Friday to discuss how the money will be spent and how soon it could help those living on the streets. PREVIOUS: Mayor Kirk Watson discusses new $5.5 billion city budget, what it means for Austin The two al...

Biden nominates Minnesota appellate judge to federal bench

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Biden nominates Minnesota appellate judge to federal bench President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jeffrey Bryan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the White House announced Thursday.Bryan, 47, currently serves on the Minnesota Court of Appeals after being appointed in 2019 by Gov. Tim Walz. Before that, he presided over civil and criminal cases on the Ramsey County District Court following his 2013 appointment by Gov. Mark Dayton. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Minneapolis for six years and a civil litigation attorney for the Minneapolis law firm Robins Kaplan. A native of El Paso, Texas, Bryan is a graduate of the University of Texas and Yale University Law School.President Joe Biden nominated Judge Jeffrey Bryan to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the White House announced July 27, 2023. Bryan, 47, currently serves on the Minnesota Court of Appeals after being appointed in 2019 by Gov. Tim Walz. Before that, he presided over civil and criminal cases on the Ramsey...

Troy police investigating after man shot in leg

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Troy police investigating after man shot in leg TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Troy police are investigating a shooting that took place Friday evening. The incident happened around 5 p.m. in the area of 3rd Street and Congress Street. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Police said two men were fighting when the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot the victim in the leg. He sustained a non-life threatening injury. The suspect fled before police arrived.Law enforcement is working to identify the suspect, including reviewing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (518) 270-4421.

Black bear spotted taking a dip in Burbank hot tub (video)

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Black bear spotted taking a dip in Burbank hot tub (video) Burbank police officers responded for a report of an unusual trespasser Friday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m., officers responded to the 1300 block of Paseo Redondo in the Verdugo foothills for a report of a black bear taking a dip in a backyard jacuzzi.Officers found the bear beating the heat by splashing around in the backyard hot tub of one of the neighborhood homes. Shortly after they arrived on scene, the bear scaled a wall and climbed a tree near the back of the same residence. Collared black bear hit, killed on 101 Freeway As of Friday at 5:45 p.m., the bear was still in the tree and was being closely monitored by the Burbank Police Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Burbank Animal Shelter. It's the second time this week some black bears were seen splashing around in a backyard hot tub. On Wednesday, a female bear and her cub were seen playing in a jacuzzi in La Cañada Flintridge.As temperatures continue to soar, wildlife officials say bear encounte...

Beloved Riverside high school coach killed by teen driver 

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Beloved Riverside high school coach killed by teen driver  A community is devastated after a high school water polo coach was killed by a teen driver.Christian Dominguez, 21, was the assistant water polo coach at Ramona High School in Riverside. He was beloved by students and colleagues who say his death marks a huge loss to the community.“He was the one who gave us hope all the time,” said Yesenia Dominguez, Christian’s sister. “He would always make us feel better.”Christian was the second youngest out of five siblings who, in his spare time, loved traveling, enjoying music and helping others.On July 25, his family’s life was turned upside down.Christian was riding his motorcycle on the westbound lanes of the 91 Freeway around 5:30 p.m. when he was clipped by the driver of an Acura TSX sedan near Ivy Street, according to California Highway Patrol. Christian Dominguez in a family photo.Christian Dominguez in a family photo.Crash scene where a teen driver struck and killed Christian Dominguez on July 25, 2023. (OnScene.TV)Crash scene wh...

Does it make sense for SF Giants to deal starting pitching? Alex Wood says ‘this is where I want to be’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Does it make sense for SF Giants to deal starting pitching? Alex Wood says ‘this is where I want to be’ SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants have a surplus of starting pitching. They could also use a rotation upgrade.Huh?Even as the club is reportedly exploring deals for Justin Verlander and other frontline starting pitchers, other teams are inquiring with president Farhan Zaidi about their stable of starters filling out the back of their rotation, according to a report from FanSided insider Robert Murray.Chief among the possible trade chips is Alex Wood, who has lost his spot in the rotation and is set to become a free agent after this season. Other logical candidates include Ross Stripling, Sean Manaea and Anthony DeSclafani, all of whom have also been asked to pitch out of relief at some point this year.One reason why Wood leads the speculation has been his outward displeasure for his usage, remarking on multiple occasions that he believes he should be starting games, not coming out of the bullpen. Four of Wood’s last six appearances have come out of the bullpen, following an opener.Bu...

Ticket prices raised for A's 'reverse boycott' game against Giants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:53:54 GMT

Ticket prices raised for A's 'reverse boycott' game against Giants (KRON) -- Continuing what has been a summer full of protests, Oakland A's fans have organized another "reverse boycott" for the San Francisco Giants' game in Oakland on Aug. 5. If you're planning to go, be prepared to pay more than usual. For the Aug. 5 "reverse boycott" game, the cheapest seat on the team website is going for $44. For the Aug. 6 game against the Giants, the get-in price is $27. The price for all other games, including Labor Day against Toronto and the final home game of the season against Detroit, is $10. The A's say game tickets are "automatically dynamically priced based on available inventory" and the prices were not increased manually. The team has sold more than 30,000 tickets for the Aug. 5 game. LeBron James breaks silence after son Bronny’s hospitalization The fan base conducted its first reverse boycott on June 13, with 27,759 loud fans packing the Coliseum to cheer on the A's beating the Tampa Bay Rays. The purpose of the boycott was to prove that A's ...