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Syrian baby born under earthquake rubble turns 6 months, happily surrounded by her adopted family

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

JINDERIS, Syria (AP) — A baby girl who was born under the rubble of her family home destroyed by the deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria six months ago is in good health, loves her adopted family and likes to smile even to strangers.The dark-haired baby Afraa survived 10 hours under the rubble after the Feb. 6 earthquake crushed to death her parents and four siblings in the northern Syrian town of Jinderis. When she was found, her umbilical cord was still connected to her mother.Her story captivated the world at the time, and people from all over offered to adopt her.After spending days at a hospital in north Syria, Afraa was released and handed over to her paternal aunt and her husband, who adopted her and are raising her along with their five daughters and two sons. Afraa was handed over to her aunt’s family days after a DNA test was conducted to make sure the girl and her aunt are biologically related, her adopted father, Khalil al-Sawadi, said.On Saturday, baby Afraa was...

4th body is found in New Jersey house that exploded; 2 injured children were rescued by civilians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

BUENA, N.J. (AP) — The body of a fourth victim has been found following an explosion and fire that destroyed a New Jersey house and seriously injured two children, who were pulled from the fire by civilians, authorities said. The cause of Thursday morning’s explosion in Buena, about 40 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia, is being investigated. It damaged several nearby homes, but no other injuries were reported.Authorities had previously said those likely in the house at the time included two men, ages 52 and 73, and two children, a 2-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. A 1-year-old girl and a 16-year-old girl pulled from the fire by civilians were flown to a Philadelphia hospital, where the infant was in critical condition and the teen was stable, police said.Authorities have not released the victims’ names or said whether they are related.Three of four missing people had been found dead in the rubble by 8 p.m. Thursday, Franklin Township police said. The body of the f...

Weekend Break: Chicago Children's Museum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

Check out this Weekend Break with Marcus Leshock at the Chicago Children's Museum.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Why is it called Capitol Reef National Park if there's no reef?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — It’s nowhere near a capitol, and it certainly doesn’t look like the color reefs you’ll find in Hawaii or off the coast of Australia. So why is this Utah national park called Capitol Reef?It’s not as complicated as you may think, but the answer is a two-part explanation. If you’ve ever been to Capitol Reef, its name will start to make sense in a moment. If you haven’t been to the park, you need to understand its geology first. Located in south-central Utah, Capitol Reef is part of the Waterpocket Fold, a warp in the Earth’s crust that stretches on for nearly 100 miles. Hundreds of millions of years ago, Capitol Reef was more like the Saharan Desert, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Then it became wet, sporting tropical forests, ferns, and swamps.  It was a popular national monument, until it was robbed to extinction But then, about 180 million years ago, the area became dry again. Then, 40 million years later, it turned into a coastal area, d...

What should you do if you are bitten by a tick?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

(WHTM) -- Ticks are one of the most common bugs that affect animals and humans alike during the spring and summer months. Some people don't even realize they have a tick on them until it is too late and they are either bitten or become ill.So if you are bitten by a tick, what should you do? The first thing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says is if the tick is still on you, you are to use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible and pull up with "steady even pressure," making sure not to twist the tick or tweezers. CDC: Meat allergy caused by tick bites is a growing concern After the tick is removed, clean the bite with rubbing alcohol or soapy water. Then, flush the tick down the toilet. The CDC says that you can also place the tick in rubbing alcohol and place it in a sealed bag if you'd like to show it to your healthcare provider.The CDC says that although some companies will test the tick for specific germs, they do not rec...

Officials respond to gas leak near elementary school in Cedar Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Cedar Park Police said there was a gas leak being worked on because of construction in front of an elementary school.CPPD said the leak was near Mason Elementary School located at 1501 Lakeline Boulevard.“Crews will be working to fix the issue, and there is no need for any evacuations at this time,” CPPD said.Officials said the northbound and southbound lanes would be closed until the leak is fixed.

A contest to draw attention to the need for adequate internet access

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin Financial Services Department is conducting an art contest leading up to Digital Inclusion Week from October 1 to 7. Briana Gowing is the public information officer for the Financial Services Department.This is the 4th annual youth contest to celebrate Digital Inclusion Week. The contest is to draw attention to the fact that about 40,000 households in Austin don't have digital internet at home. It becomes more difficult to get reliable news and weather information without it. The theme centers around what the world would be like if everyone had adequate internet access.She says that during the freeze of 2021 that those with adequate high-speed internet were able to be reached faster to address possible needs than those who either did not have adequate broadband access or had no access at all.Ms. Gowing also related a story about people who are sight-impaired with proper access and are able to find out important weather conditions.Budding artists ag...

APD responds to body found downtown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Officials have responded to a body found in downtown Austin.APD said the call came in at approximately 9:40 a.m. near Seventh Street and Sabine Street.Officials said APD homicide responded to the scene, but the incident was not being investigated as suspicious.This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN for more details.

12-year-old boy fatally shot in St. Paul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy Saturday morning in the 200 block of Stinson Street.Police were called to the area at 5 a.m. on reports that a juvenile male had been shot. When they arrived, they found a 12-year-old boy with a gunshot wound. St. Paul fire medics transported the boy to Regions Hospital where he later died.No further information was available Saturday morning. This is an ongoing story.This is the 22nd homicide in the city this year.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | 2 St. Paul men plead guilty to assaulting a federal agent during drug sting Crime & Public Safety | Charges: Men were playing with guns before fatal shooting on St. Paul’s North End Crime & Public Safety | Minnesota man on the loose after escape from Dakota County deputies in Georgia Crime & Public Safety | California judge arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife Crim...

Man shot in Aurora during verbal dispute dies at local hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:24 GMT

A man was shot dead early Saturday morning in Aurora when an argument escalated, police said.The shooting happened in the 3200 block of Peoria Street, according to a 6:39 p.m. Aurora Police Department tweet.#APDAlert A man has passed away after being shot early this morning.The incident stemmed from a verbal dispute which led to the shooting in the 3200 block of Peoria Street.The victim, an adult male, was immediately transported to the hospital where he passed away from his… pic.twitter.com/vNFzqOakG3— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) August 5, 2023Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Murder warrant issued in Aurora double homicide cold case from 2007 Crime and Public Safety | Man killed in City Park West shooting Crime and Public Safety | Suspect arrested in southwest Denver shooting that killed one Crime and Public Safety | El Paso County officials arrest six juveniles in February Falcon homicides Crime and ...