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Oprah Winfrey chooses new Verghese novel for her book club

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The long-awaited new novel by Abraham Verghese, “The Covenant of Water,” is Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club pick.“The Covenant of Water,” published Tuesday, is Verghese’s first work of fiction since his million-selling “Cutting for Stone” came out in 2009. Verghese’s current book is a multigenerational saga set in India from 1900-1977.“This is one of the top five books I’ve read in my lifetime. And I’ve been reading since I was 3,” Winfrey said in a statement. “It’s epic. It’s transportive. Many moments during the read I had to stop and remember to breathe. I couldn’t put the book down until the very last page — it was unputdownable!”Verghese said in a statement that receiving the call from Winfrey, the dream of countless authors, felt like a “miracle.” “My thoughts were racing back through the decade-plus of writing ‘The Covenant of Water,’ during which time my mother died, and Covid had descended on us,” he said. “After we hung up I r...

Ugandan lawmakers pass new version of tough anti-gay bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday passed a new version of an anti-gay bill that removes a clause which appeared to criminalize identifying as LGBTQ.President Yoweri Museveni last month returned the bill back to the national assembly, asking for changes that differentiate between identifying as LGBTQ and actually engaging in homosexual acts. Homosexuality is already illegal in the East African country under a colonial-era law criminalizing sex acts “against the order of nature.” The punishment for that offense is life imprisonment.The new law prescribes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” which is defined as cases of sexual relations involving people infected with HIV as well as minors and other categories of vulnerable people.A suspect convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” can be jailed for 14 years and the offense of “attempted homosexuality” is punishable by up to 10 years, according to the bill.Although the law would no longer cri...

Body of missing MMA fighter found in Schaumburg

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The body of a missing MMA fighter was found Monday night in Schaumburg.Trevon Lawson, of Aurora, was found dead at around 7:15 p.m. near a hotel in the 1500 block of North Roselle Road.He was reported missing to the media on Monday and was last seen in Schaumburg on April 16. Lawson did not report to work the next day.He was a member of the Carlson Gracie Team and was recently named The Ignite MMA 155 pound champion, family said.Lawson also went by Tre or his stage name "The Last Shinobi."

Woman finds newlyweds in candid wedding pictures outside of Bucktown bar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago woman was able to find newlyweds after snapping candid pictures of them kissing while taking their wedding pictures outside of Map Room.On Saturday afternoon during a rainy day, Kate Byrne noticed her dog reacted to bagpipes going off outside and she thought to herself "what's going on?"After throwing open the window shade, she was delighted to find a wedding party, complete with an entire bagpipe procession, walking toward the Bucktown bar and café Map Room."The song ended and I noticed them take a bunch of photos and I was like 'I better take some pics," Byrne recalled.One of them catches the couple mid-kiss.What seemed like an obstacle at the time turned out to be a cool effect as Byrne snapped the pictures, which took place at 12:56 p.m., through her window screen. Courtesy Kate ByrneCourtesy Kate Byrne"At first I thought 'oh this is kind of blurry,'" Byrne said. "But the more I looked at it, I thought 'this is kinda 'vintage-y.''"Byrne assumed the newlyweds ...

Northern lights could appear again in some US states, forecast shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Residents living in northern U.S. states may have a chance to see the northern lights Tuesday night, according to current forecasts. It marks yet another night in less than two weeks that the northern states could spot the auroras, though they likely won't be as strong as those caused by a geomagnetic storm last week. That event was sparked by a coronal mass ejection and a minor solar flare that activated a geomagnetic storm watch. It also sent the northern lights flowing across the night skies as far south as Alabama and northern California. Coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, are explosions of plasma and magnetic material from the sun that can reach Earth in as little as 15 to 18 hours, NOAA explains. Solar flares and CMEs (which can occur at the same time) can impact navigation, communication and radio signals on Earth, and CMEs are able to create a stunning show in the night sky. According to NASA, CMEs can create currents in Earth’s magnetic fields that send particles ...

White House to end COVID-19 vaccine requirement for international travelers, others next week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

(The Hill) -- The Biden administration will end its COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international travelers and various workplaces next week, the White House announced Monday, a move that will coincide with the end of the public health emergency related to the coronavirus.The decision to wind down the requirements comes roughly two years after the administration first announced the mandates for international travelers and federal employees and contractors. The move may ultimately have minimal impact once it is enacted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week announced that international travelers who had received a single dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine would fulfill the testing requirement.Meanwhile, federal courts had blocked the vaccine mandate for federal workers since January 2022.An appeals court in December ruled the White House could not require federal contractors to mandate that their workers are vaccinated against COVID-19. Loneliness decl...

Chris Pratt on the end of an era for 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

It's the end of an era for “The Guardians of the Galaxy. The trilogy wraps up this weekend.The film's star Chris Pratt says the experience has been life changing and the end is “bittersweet.”The latest big budget Marvel movie has been a rumor mill since it was announced.With lots of conspiracy theories floating around about how the trilogy ends and which characters don't make it,The film's writer and director James Gunn and Pratt told WGN Morning News whatever you think you know, is probably wrong.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 opens Friday. Dean Richards will have his review, then.

New owners reviving Gibby's Diner in Delanson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

DELANSON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Gibby's Diner, a staple in the Delanson and Duanesburg communities, closed in 2021 after almost 70 years. Now, the diner is being revived by new owners. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Husband and wife duo Jim Slingerland and Tiffany Angelides-Slingerland are working to get the diner open as soon as possible. They are currently waiting on the Health Department."It just kind of fell into our laps as an opportunity," said Angelides-Slingerland. They haven't owned other restaurants before but Angelides-Slingerland has worked in the restaurant business her whole life, including working at the Bellevue Café in Schenectady for over 20 years. Lake George restaurant closes, owners focusing on other venture "We are keeping it very similar to the way that it was," said Angelides-Slingerland. That includes keeping the name Gibby's.The diner will be serving traditional diner comfort food and will be open fo...

Garbage truck crash in Troy shuts down multiple roads

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to the Troy Police Department, Burden Avenue at Morrison Avenue is temporarily closed due to a crash. Police say a garbage truck struck a passenger car, luckily no one was injured.Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!Wires in the area of the crash are down, and drivers are urged to seek alternate routes. Stick with NEWS10 as more information regarding the closures becomes available.

I-55 reopens after dust storm causes fatal Illinois crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:44 GMT

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ill. - A blinding dust storm led to a deadly crash involving more than 70 vehicles along Interstate-55 in south central Illinois. Tuesday morning, I-55 has completely reopened 19 hours after shutting down.This all happened on I-55 in Montgomery County, north of Farmersville, and south of Divernon. Crews have been in the area non-stop since the crash took place. Authorities said at least six people were killed and 37 others taken to hospitals after the crash happened shortly before 11:00 a.m. A total of 72 vehicles were involved, including some 20 commercial vehicles and many passenger cars.We're told two tractor trailers exploded from the wreck. Illinois state Police shared that high winds blew dust onto 55 from nearby farm fields, creating blinding conditions leading to the pile up.Investigators explained the first crash took place on northbound 55 then at the same time numerous crashes took place southbound on the highway. The wrecks all happened between milepo...