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FACT FOCUS: Misinformation about the Israel-Hamas war is flooding social media. Here are the facts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

In the days since Hamas militants stormed into Israel on Saturday morning, a flood of videos and photos purporting to show the conflict have filled social media, making it difficult for onlookers from around the world to sort fact from fiction.While plenty of real imagery and accounts of the ensuing carnage have emerged, they have been intermingled with users pushing false claims and misrepresenting videos from other events.Among the fabrications, users have shared false claims that a top Israeli commander had been kidnapped, circulated a doctored White House memo purporting to show President Joe Biden announcing billions in aid for Israel, and pushed old and unrelated videos of Russian President Vladimir Putin with inaccurate English captions. Here is a closer look at the misinformation spreading online — and the facts.CLAIM: Nimrod Aloni, a top general in the Israeli army, was captured by Hamas militants during a deadly incursion Saturday into southern Israeli towns near the Gaza ...

Stock market today: Wall Street rises as pressure relaxes from the bond market

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising Tuesday as pressure relaxes on Wall Street from the bond market.The S&P 500 was 0.5% higher in late trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 125 points, or 0.4%, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher.Some of the strongest action was in the bond market, where Treasury yields eased after trading resumed following a holiday on Monday. It was the first opportunity for yields to move since the weekend’s surprise attack by Hamas on Israel injected caution into global markets.Perhaps more impactfully, it was also the first trading for Treasurys since Federal Reserve officials gave speeches that traders took as a suggestion the Fed may not raise its main interest rate again. The comments helped U.S. stocks swing from early losses to gains on Monday.The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.66% from 4.80% late Friday, which is a considerable move for the bond market. The two-year Treasury yield, which moves mo...

Secretary of State Blinken to travel to Israel in display of US solidarity after Hamas attacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is dispatching his top diplomat to Israel on an urgent mission to show U.S. support after major terrorist attacks by Hamas militants, the State Department said Tuesday.State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken would travel in coming days to deliver a message of solidarity and support. He said Blinken will also “talk about what additional resources we can give them.”Blinken will leave Wednesday and is expected to arrive Thursday.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned the militant group Hamas for “sheer evil” for its shocking multipronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds of civilians, including at least 14 American citizens.Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation on the ground. B...

Lidia becomes major hurricane with 115 mph winds as it takes aim at Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta resort

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Lidia became a major Category 3 hurricane Tuesday as it took aim at Mexico’s Pacific coast resort of Puerto Vallarta.The hurricane is expected to sweep over a spit of land around Cabo Corrientes before hitting the bay where Puerto Vallarta is located, which could cushion the blow somewhat.Local authorities canceled classes in communities around the coast. The expected impact comes one day after Tropical Storm Max hit the southern Pacific coast, hundred of miles away, and then dissipated. Rains from Max washed out part of a coastal highway in the southern state of Guerrero.The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Tuesday that winds from Lidia had grown to about 115 mph (185 kph), hours before making landfall. Lidia was centered early Tuesday about 155 miles (260 kilometers) southwest of Puerto Vallarta, and was moving east-north-east at about 15 mph (24 kph).The hurricane center warned of possible flash flooding and storm surge from the hurricane.____Follow AP’s cli...

Funeral pays tribute to North Dakota lawmaker and family lost in Utah plane crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Mourners gathered at a red-brick church in North Dakota on Tuesday for the funeral of a state lawmaker and his family who were killed in a plane crash last week, describing a selfless couple whose young boys inspired people around them.State Sen. Doug Larsen, his wife Amy and their two sons, 11-year-old Christian and 8-year-old Everett, died on Oct. 1. Their single-engine aircraft went down near Moab, Utah, shortly after stopping to refuel on the way home from a family gathering in Arizona. The plane was piloted by Larsen, 47, who flew Black Hawk helicopters and mobilized twice during his 29 years with the North Dakota Army National Guard. A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report on the crash is expected sometime next week. Four Black Hawk helicopters in missing-man formation flew through a cloudless autumn sky as the family was laid to rest at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.During the earlier church service, mourners sang “How Great Thou A...

State Department says Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel this week to show US support after Hamas attacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — State Department says Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel this week to show US support after Hamas attacks.Source

Aurora officers investigated in teen's shooting death back on duty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Three Aurora police officers investigated by the department after the deadly shooting of Jor’Dell Richardson have returned to full duty.According to a release from the Aurora Police Department, Sergeant Stephenson Cary, Officer Roch Gruszeczka and Officer James Snapp were all part of the response to an alleged robbery by a group of juveniles at a convenience store on June 1.One of those allegedly involved in the robbery was Jor'Dell, who was chased by police as he ran away and later shot by Gruszeczka while on the ground.Jor'Dell was carrying what responding officers said they believed was a handgun, but was later found to be a pellet gun. Denver announces location for first micro-community Gruszeczka was investigated for and cleared of department policy violations around the use of deadly force, conformance to law, and required identification and warning prior to the use of deadly force.The other officer who was involved in the chase of Jor'Dell was Snapp,...

Nuggets, Celtics tied as most likely to win 2024 NBA Finals in GM survey

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The 2023-24 NBA season starts soon, and the Denver Nuggets are going into it fresh off the heels of their first-ever NBA Championship win in June.They're also going into it tied with the Boston Celtics as the most likely team to win it all in 2024, at least according to NBA general managers.The results came from the NBA's annual GM survey, where each of the 30 GMs was asked a series of questions. Because none of the GMs can vote for their own team or players, the results are all based on what the opposing team's GMs think.NuggetsOne of the questions was about which team would win the 2024 NBA Finals. The Nuggets and the Celtics both received 33% of the vote. The Nuggets were also voted as the most likely team to win the Western Conference, with 35% of votes going to them. Nuggets gear up for title defense, guard against complacency Another recognition for the Nuggets was the team being named "most fun to watch," with 30% of the vote, as well as the team with the b...

Experience several nights of laughter as famous comedians hit the stage in South Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

South Florida is getting a heavy dose of funny this fall with the comical likes of George Lopez, Dave Chappelle and John Mulaney.But they’re not the only comedians ready to make you cry with laughter. Better hold on to your hats folks.George Lopez: “All that bull— with the wall, I don’t know maybe they’re waiting for permits, I don’t know.”George Lopez is bringing the funny in his “Alllriiiighhttt!” Tour. The comedian gained fame as a stand up comic and poking fun at his Latin roots. And now you can laugh with him at the Hard Rock Live on Nov. 10thRandy Rainbow: “Don’t anybody dare, arraign on his parade. I don’t have a lot of time. Don’t call him when new charges have arisen.”Randy Rainbow started out on YouTube creating celebrity videos and spoof interviews.After years of political commentary, the singer-and-comedian is ready for his presidential run in a new tour called “Randy Rainbow for Pr...

104-year-old Chicago woman dies days after making a skydive that could put her in the record books

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:12 GMT

Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old Chicago woman whose recent skydive could see her certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest person to ever jump from a plane, has died.Hoffner’s close friend, Joe Conant, said she was found dead Monday morning by staff at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community. Conant said Hoffner apparently died in her sleep on Sunday night.Conant, who is a nurse, said he met Hoffner — whom he called Grandma at her request — several years ago while he was working as a caregiver for another resident at the senior living center. He said she had amazing energy and remained mentally sharp.“She was indefatigable. She just kept going,” he said Tuesday. “She was not someone who would take naps in the afternoon, or not show up for any function, dinner or anything else. She was always there, fully present. She kept going, always.”On Oct. 1, Hoffner made a tandem skydive that could land her in the record books as the world’s oldest skydiver. S...