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Two rival robotaxi services win approval to operate throughout San Francisco despite safety concerns

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California regulators on Thursday approved an expansion that will allow two rival robotaxi services to operate throughout San Francisco at all hours, despite safety worries spurred by recurring problems with unexpected stops and other erratic behavior that resulted in unmanned vehicles blocking traffic, including emergency vehicles. The state’s Public Utilities Commission voted to approve rival services from Cruise and Waymo to operate around-the-clock service. It will make San Francisco first major U.S. city with two fleets of driverless vehicles competing for passengers against ride-hailing and taxi services dependent on humans to operate the cars.It is a distinction that San Francisco officials didn’t want, largely because of the headaches that Cruise and Waymo have been causing in the city while testing their robotaxis on a restricted basis during the past year.But it ended in a major victory for Cruise — a subsidiary of General Motors — and Waymo — a ...

After pounding South Korea with rains and winds, storm Khanun weakens as it blows into North Korea

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Flights and trains resumed and power was mostly restored Friday after a tropical storm blew through South Korea, which was preparing a pop concert for 40,000 Scouts whose global Jamboree was disrupted by the weather.Much of Khanun’s damage was concentrated in the country’s southern and eastern regions, where several cities and towns saw 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches) of rain. Dozens of houses and buildings were damaged, roads were closed and at least one death was reported.Khanun had weakened by the time it arrived in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area Thursday night, and it blew into North Korea early Friday as a tropical depression.South Korean officials lifted a nationwide alert over the storm and were channeling much of their administrative resources into throwing a K-pop concert at a Seoul soccer stadium Friday evening as the closing event of the World Scout Jamboree.The event had been held at a coastal campsite before Khanun forced ...

North Carolina roller coaster reopens after a large crack launched a state investigation

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A towering North Carolina roller coaster that shut down in June due to a large crack in its support column reopened Thursday after a month of repairs and testing, the park announced on its website.Carowinds amusement park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, came under investigation by the North Carolina Department of Labor after a video surfaced online of an operational roller coaster with a large crack in one of its columns. The footage of Fury 325, known as a “giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters), showed a support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph). Park staff closed Fury 325 on June 30 after a visitor reported the crack. North Carolina Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson told The Associated Press last month that the crack had been visible for at least a week before the ride was shut down. The Department of Labor’...

Movie Review: Gal Gadot turns superspy in ‘Heart of Stone’

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

It’s turning out to be quite a summer for superspies and supercomputers. A month after the action feast of “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part I,” in which Tom Cruise faced off with an AI supervillain called “the Entity,” comes a very “MI”-like international espionage thriller with an equally fancy and powerful machine. “Heart of Stone” stars Gal Gadot as Rachel Stone, an agent for an elite and clandestine intelligence agency called the Charter. Like “Mission: Impossible,” “Heart of Stone” hits glamorous global destinations (the Italian Alps, Lisbon, Senegal, Iceland) and features lengthy actions sequence including a wingsuit skydive.Whereas “Dead Reckoning” pushed old-school filmmaking to extremes for a gripping theatrical experience, “Heart of Stone” revels in its digital wizardry, feels vaguely algorithm-y in its conception and was made for Netflix. Both films, interestingly, are products of the same production company, Skydance. “Mission: Impossible” was born ...

Pedestrian struck by vehicle, killed in Brampton

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

A pedestrian has died after being struck by a vehicle in Brampton.Peel Regional Police were called to the Queen Street East and Rutherford Road North area just before 9:30 p.m. for reports of a person hit by a vehicle in the area.Authorities said the pedestrian was pronounced dead, and the driver remained at the scene.Queen Street East is closed from Rutherford Road North to Hansen Road North for the investigation.There is also no eastbound traffic from Kennedy and Queen.Police are urging motorists to avoid the area if possible.FATAL MVC-pedestrian struck and killed Queen/Rutherford #Brampton -driver remained at scene-Queen closed Rutherford to Hansen-avoid the areaC/R 2124 hrsOcc#PR230258589— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) August 11, 2023

Jury awards family of New York man who died after being beaten by police $35 million in damages

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — The family of a Long Island, New York, man who died after being beaten by police with flashlights and fists during a 2008 traffic stop was awarded $35 million in damages by a federal jury on Thursday.Frederick K. Brewington, attorney for the family of Kenny Lazo, said “justice has been served,” Newsday reported. Lazo’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County and five police officers in 2009.“It was absolutely appalling how the Suffolk County police physically abused and humiliated Mr. Lazo, then tried to cover it up,” Brewington said, “No family should have to go through what Mr. Lazo’s family had to.”Jurors awarded Lazo’s family $13.5 million in compensatory damages and $21.5 million in punitive damages.Lazo was 24 when he was pulled over by police on a ramp to the Southern State Parkway in Bay Shore. Marc Lindemann, an attorney representing the police, said Lazo, who was suspected...

Theater Review: A play about the making of the movie ‘Jaws’ makes a nice splash on Broadway

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A rickety boat. Three guys with egos. And a massive, deadly shark. What could go wrong?Not what you might be expecting with “The Shark Is Broken,” the lyrical play that opened Thursday about the trio of actors who enlivened the pioneering Steven Spielberg -directed movie “Jaws.”Set on a boat off Martha’s Vineyard during filming in 1974, “The Shark Is Broken” is a moving comedy-drama, mirroring the way the movie segued from horror to playfulness so effortlessly.It stars Colin Donnell as Roy Scheider, the police chief Brody; Alex Brightman as Richard Dreyfuss, the oceanographer Hooper; and Ian Shaw as Robert Shaw, the shark hunter Quint. The play instantly earns legitimacy because Ian Shaw is Robert’s lookalike son and a co-writer. It’s about the backstage frustration of making the first summer blockbuster, of course — one audience member in line at a preview wearing a “Jaws” T-shirt will be pleased — but captures much more in its net.The long idle ho...

Newly approved pill for postpartum depression offers faster fix

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

CHICAGO — One in 6 to 7 women suffer with the condition often undiagnosed and under treated. Now doctors and mothers weigh in on a first-of-its-kind medication born to quickly decrease the debilitating symptoms of postpartum depression. “New motherhood is dark for sure,” mother of two Rose Boyle said. “You are sleep deprived and you’re like ‘Oh do I know what I’m doing?’”“You’re dealing with no sleep, your hormones are all over the place,” Caitlin O’Shea said. “You’re trying to figure out what is typical and what is atypical.”NorthShore Swedish Hospital OB-GYN Dr Stacy Brown says the symptoms of postpartum depression can be subtle.“’Baby Blues,’ that postpartum blues, is typical,” she said. “It’s a huge change in your life and having some emotional reaction to that is normal and expected. But more than anything, it puts a woman’s health at risk — for their joy, their well-being and ultimately an increased risk of suicidal ideation and death.”Mother of three Andrea Hartman wants...

One seriously injured after motorcycle crash in southeast Austin, ATCEMS says

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person was seriously injured after a single-motorcycle crash in southeast Austin Thursday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on Twitter.At approximately 9 p.m., medics responded to the crash at 4902-4912 Todd Ln, the tweet said.One adult was taken to St. David's South Austin Medical for serious, potentially life-threatening injuries, medics said.No other information was available Thursday. The incident remained under investigation.

With loads of talent returning, another national title is the goal for Texas volleyball

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:40:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns volleyball team's goal is simple — win another national title.Coming off a dominant 28-1 season while playing just two matches that went to all five sets, Texas overwhelmed opponents in a variety of ways from all over the floor. However, this year is just that — another year — and the Longhorns know they'll get everybody's best shot because they are the reigning champs.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/newsletters"It's a huge emotional run that it takes to win a national championship, and then we you accomplish it, it's even more for the next 3-4 months," Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott said. At the end of the summer, they were saying they were super excited to get back, and we're in a good position right now."The storied career of Logan Eggleston came to a fitting end after the Longhorns lifted the national championship trophy, but as Elliott s...