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Q&A: Jose Mujica on Uruguay’s secular history, religion, atheism and the global rise of the ‘nones’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — In Uruguay, a nation of some 3.3 million people, more than half identify as “nones” — atheist, agnostic or other religiously unaffiliated — the highest portion in Latin America.Uruguay has a long history of secularization. In the early 20th century, new laws banned any mention of God in oaths of office, and removed symbols, including crucifixes, from public hospitals. Holidays were secularized: Holy Week is known as Tourism Week. Christmas is Family Day.Uruguay’s best-known “none” is former President Jose Mujica. Now 88, Mujica gained respect globally for his simple ways. He donated most of his salary to charity and declined to live in the presidential mansion. His social agenda included laws approving same-sex marriage and creating the world’s first national marketplace for legal marijuana.In an interview with The Associated Press at his flower farm near Montevideo, Mujica reflected on his beliefs, Uruguay’s secularism and the global rise of the religious...

The collapse of a building in Havana has left 3 people dead and at least 2 others injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

HAVANA (AP) — A building in the historic center of Havana that housed 13 families partially collapsed, leaving three people dead and at least two injured, Cuban authorities said Wednesday.Authorities in Havana said that among the three fatalities were one resident and two firefighters who got trapped in the building when they were helping evacuate people.A part of the three-story building collapsed Tuesday’s night, and other sections crumbled early Wednesday. While the reason for the collapse was not immediately known, the area has several aging buildings that lack maintenance and deteriorate in tropical rains, like those currently hitting the island.Alexis Acosta Silva, mayor of Old Havana, told local media there were 54 people in the building at the time of the collapse. Families were evacuated to a nearby school, and no damage was reported to surrounding buildings.Poor maintenance of existing residential buildings and the slow rate of building new ones have been top complai...

Toronto Islands has a cormorant problem. What’s being done to address it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

It’s become an increasingly common sight along the Toronto Islands: green trees and, suddenly, a patch of what looks like silver to the untrained eye.But it’s not silver at all; it’s bird poop and a lot of it courtesy of double-crested cormorants, a species of bird that the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) said is native to the islands and was even close to extinction at one point.“With cormorants, they have specific feces, and so all of their excrements, as it accumulates in their nesting areas, it ultimately starts killing the trees,” said Andrea Chreston of the TRCA.“While the feces don’t directly harm people, they have a pretty pungent odour. Cormorants also have a primarily fish-based diet and often regurgitate their food within the nesting colonies.”Chreston said it becomes increasingly problematic when the feces and regurgitated fish are blended into the humid conditions of Toronto’s hot and humid weather.&...

Numbers drawn for $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot that keeps growing after 11 weeks without a winner

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

PINEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The numbers were drawn Wednesday night for an estimated $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot.The winning numbers announced were: 9, 35, 54, 63, 64 and the Powerball 1.The game is in the midst of an 11-week stretch without a big winner, but no matter how large the prize grows the odds stay the same — and they’re terrible.It’s those odds of 1 in 292.2 million that make the jackpot so hard to win and that result in such giant prizes for the lucky player or players who manage to pick the game’s six winning numbers. The latest Powerball jackpot is the world’s seventh-largest lottery prize. The last time someone won the top prize was July 19.GAME DETAILSIn most states, Powerball tickets cost $2 and buyers can chose their own numbers and single Powerball or leave that task to a computer. Powerball drawings are held three times a week at 10:59 p.m. EDT on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturday, with the numbers selected at the Florida Lottery in Tallahassee. Once the numbers are ...

Powerball numbers drawn for $1.2B jackpot: Did you win?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Grab your tickets: the winning numbers for the estimated $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot have been drawn. The winning numbers drawn on Wednesday, Oct. 4, were: 63, 9, 35, 64, 54 and red Powerball is 1. The Power Play is 2X.The jackpot propelled to an estimated $1.2 billion, with a cash value of $551.7 million, after no ticket matched all winning numbers drawn Monday, though several players took home second-tier prizes. Win the Powerball jackpot? Think twice before taking the cash At that size, it stands as the third-largest jackpot in Powerball history, coming in behind a $2.04 billion jackpot hit last November in California and a $1.586 billion jackpot split by three tickets (California, Florida, and Tennessee) in 2016.If the jackpot is won in this drawing, it would be the seventh-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, edging out a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot won by a ticket sold in California in July — which has yet to be claimed. The largest lottery ...

Two firefighters suffer minor injuries in Parkcrest Drive fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, two firefighters suffered minor injuries extinguishing a structure fire in west Austin, the Austin Fire Department said on social media.Officials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Andy way/KXAN NewsOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Andy way/KXAN NewsOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Andy way/KXAN NewsOfficials responded to a structure fire on Parkcrest Drive near MoPac Expressway Wednesday | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentS...

Liberty Hill man arrested on murder charge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

BELL COUNTY, Texas (FOX44) -- A 38-year-old Liberty Hill man wanted in a September 21 homicide was arrested in Williamson County after initially getting away, according to a release from Bell County.Ryan Adam Madden is one of three suspects accused of murder after 42-year-old Cody Kinslow and another victim were found shot in a Bell County home. Kinslow died after the shooting, police said.Officers tried to arrest Madden on Thursday, Sept. 28, but he got away. Authorities believed Madden may have been in Williamson, Burnet or Travis County.On Wednesday, a Williamson County Sheriff's Department deputy stopped a vehicle just off County Road 282, west of Liberty Hill. Madden was a passenger in the vehicle and ran away into a wooded area. Authorities used drones and a K-9 to search the area and take Madden into custody, the release said.Sandy Gayle Carrese of Liberty Hill is already in the Bell County Jail, facing a murder charge. Her bond is set at $1,000,000. 47-year-old Howard Lee Ba...

'Big Border Rivalry' pregame show gets you ready for Texas, Oklahoma

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

Watch Horns Pre-Game: Big Border Rivalry in the video player above.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The pageantry of college football will be on full display at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday for the 119th Red River Rivalry, and KXAN Sports wants to get you ready for it. By the numbers: Stats to know about the Texas Longhorns’ 2023 season The "Big Border Rivalry" pregame show takes you inside the matchup between bitter rivals playing in one of college football's most storied matchups. Unlike a lot of other Big 12 Conference rivalries that will die next season, both schools are moving to the Southeastern Conference and will continue to play this game that means everything to the fan bases, players and programs.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersKXAN Sports Director Roger Wallace sits down with Longhorns play-by-play announcer Craig Way and sideline reporter Will Matthews to get an insightfu...

St. Paul police say 3 people shot, 1 fatally, on East Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

Three people were shot, one of them fatally, on St. Paul’s Greater East Side on Wednesday night.St. Paul police said the shooting happened in the 1200 block of Hazelwood Street, and planned to release additional information later Wednesday night.The homicide was the 27th of the year in St. Paul.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Former Scott County jail inmate wins $12.2M settlement after losing hands in alleged medical neglect Crime & Public Safety | St. Paul high school student arrested with gun in his backpack Crime & Public Safety | Teen receives 25-year prison sentence for killing Michael Brasel, a St. Paul father who interrupted car burglary Crime & Public Safety | Oakdale drunk driver ‘robbed us of everything,’ mother of late teen says after sentencing Crime & Public Safety | Missing girl’s rescue in upstate New York came as pivotal hours ticked by

John Shipley: Don’t sleep on Twins’ Carlos Correa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:55:45 GMT

As Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between Minnesota and Toronto wound down on Wednesday, a reporter who shall remain nameless mentioned to a Twins employee that the last time the Twins won a playoff series, he was painting the bedroom for his first-born toddler.That child is now 23 years old.“Let’s talk about that after the game,” the employee said somewhat, uh, tersely.Yes, there were some tight muscles in the press box and elsewhere in Target Field this week as longtime Twins watchers waited for the other shoe to drop. Eighteen consecutive playoff losses, some from pretty darn good teams, will do that to you. On the diamond, though, it was loose.The Twins themselves played as if they expected to win and dispatched the Blue Jays in two games, punching their American League Division Series ticket with a crisp, 2-0 victory in front of 38,518 ecstatic fans.It started a little rough when third baseman Jorge Polanco shorted a throw to first base for an error on the series’ first play. B...