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To improve kids’ mental health, some schools start later

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

DREXEL HILL, Pa. (AP) — In the hours before he’s due at Upper Darby High School, senior Khalid Doulat has time to say prayers, help his mother or prepare for track practice. It’s a welcome shift from last year for him and thousands of students at the school, which pushed its start time back by more than two hours — from a 7:30 a.m. start time to 9:45 a.m. One goal for the change: to ease strains on students that were more visible than ever coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’ll be honest, I’ve been much happier in the mornings,” Doulat said. “I’ve been more positive, and I’ve come to school smiling more rather than, you know, grudging out of bed and stuff like that at 7:30.”The idea of later school start times, pushed by many over the years as a way to help adolescents get more sleep, is getting a new look as a way to address the mental health crisis affecting teens across the U.S. For some schools, the pandemic allowed experimentation to try new schedules. Upper Dar...

For far-right activist, lawsuit becomes one-sided standoff

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

EMMETT, Idaho (AP) — A far-right activist best known for his showdowns with federal and state law enforcement officials in Oregon and Nevada is now waging a one-sided standoff of a different kind after refusing to comply with court orders in an Idaho defamation lawsuit.The lawsuit by St. Luke’s Regional Health was filed more than a year ago, accusing Ammon Bundy and his close associate Diego Rodriguez of making defamatory statements against the hospital and its employees after Rodriguez’s infant grandson was temporarily removed from his family and taken to St. Luke’s amid concerns for his health. Since then, Bundy has ignored court orders related to the lawsuit, filed trespassing complaints against people hired to deliver legal paperwork, and called on scores of his followers to camp at his home for protection when he learned he might be arrested on a warrant for a misdemeanor charge of contempt of court.“We can build a defense system from here … This is what...

Orange County woman fighting for life after vehicle crashes into home

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

A woman is fighting for her life on Saturday after being struck by a hit-and-run driver who crashed through an apartment building in Santa Ana.The woman was identified as 32-year-old Ayoleone Bufkin, a Fullerton resident. Bufkin has undergone multiple surgeries since the devastating crash.“It’s so hard to even put into words,” said Roland Gonzalez, Bufkin’s father. “It’s just unfathomable. She’s such a good girl. She’s with her family and her partner just minding her own business and something like this happens.”On Monday, officers responded to an apartment complex on the 1600 block of Memory Lane around 10:20 p.m., according to the Santa Ana Police Department.When police arrived, they discovered a minivan driver had slammed into the first-floor apartment while Bufkin was relaxing on the couch. The impact left the woman pinned underneath the vehicle.Paramedics extricated Bufkin and rushed her to the UC Irvine Medical Center where she remains on Saturday night, fighting for her life....

Sterling win at UFC 288 may send Cejudo back to retirement

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Aljamain Sterling survived a late takedown that sent a packed crowd into a frenzy and held on to his 135-pound championship with a split decision victory against Henry Cejudo in the main event of UFC 288 on Saturday night.The 33-year-old Sterling won his ninth straight fight and spoiled Cejudo’s comeback after a three-year retirement. Sterling was immediately confronted inside the cage by challenger Sean O’Malley and the two fighters instantly needed to be separated.Sterling (23-3) launched into a profanity-laced tirade against O’Malley and was booed out of Prudential Center by 17,559 fans that paid to watch Cejudo tried to turn back the clock. Cejudo, the only person to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC title, held the bantamweight crown when he abruptly retired in May 2020 after he successfully defended the championship against Dominick Cruz. “I hate losing but it’s also been three years,” Cejudo said.Cejudo said he was a “little confused” a...

White powers Whitecaps to 3-2 victory over Minnesota United

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Brian White scored two goals to help the Vancouver Whitecaps earn a 3-2 victory over Minnesota United on Saturday night.White gave Vancouver (3-2-5) an early lead when he took a pass from Andrés Cubas and scored in the 17th minute.Defender Michael Boxall pulled Minnesota United (3-4-3) even when he scored unassisted in the 33rd minute to tie the match at halftime.The Whitecaps grabbed the lead for good on back-to-back goals by White and Simon Becher. Ranko Veselinovic earned an assist on White’s second netter of the night and fourth of the season — in the 52nd minute. Ryan Gauld had an assist in the 56th minute on Becher’s fifth goal in four appearances this season. Becher subbed in and scored in his first two matches and had two goals in his first start.Sang Bin Jeong picked up his first career goal in his fifth appearance and fourth start for Minnesota United, capping the scoring in the 65th minute with an assist from Robin Lod.Vancou...

Eovaldi throws 8 scoreless innings, Rangers beat Angels 10-1

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi threw eight scoreless innings and the Texas Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 10-1 on Saturday night.Eovaldi (4-2) followed up a complete game shutout against the New York Yankees last Saturday by taking his scoreless streak to 20 innings. He allowed five hits and two walks, helping the Rangers snap a four-game road losing streak. “He gave us what we needed,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s such a competitor.”Eovaldi is the first Ranger to post consecutive starts of at least eight scoreless innings since Martin Perez in 2014. Although Eovaldi was up for the challenge of trying to become the first pitcher in the majors with consecutive complete game shutouts since Mike Montgomery did it for Seattle in June 2015, Bochy overruled him, in part because Texas piled on seven runs in the ninth.“I felt like I had gas left in the tank,” Eovaldi said. “I mean, I would have loved to go back out there and finish the game, but anytime we can score...

Satellite images show tankers Iran seized off Bandar Abbas

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Satellite images analyzed Sunday by The Associated Press show two oil tankers recently seized by Iran off the coast of one of its key port cities on the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The photos from Planet Labs PBC showed the Advantage Sweet and the Niovi anchored just south of Bandar Abbas near a naval base in the port city in Iran’s Hormozgan province Saturday. Their capture represents just the latest ship seizure conducted by Iran amid tensions with the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, though it appears the two ships may have been taken for different reasons. Iran seized the Marshall Islands-flagged Advantage Sweet, staffed by 23 Indians and one Russian, on April 27 as it traveled in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran claimed the vessel had struck another ship, though tracking data for the Advantage Sweet showed no erratic behavior on its trip. Iran has made claims in the past over ship seizures to cover for the vessels being taken to ...

Rallygoers in Pakistan kill man accused of blasphemy

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Rallygoers for a political party in Pakistan beat to death a participant for allegedly making a blasphemous speech, police said Sunday. Local police officer Iqbal Khan said Maulana Nigar Alam, 40, was killed Saturday night by demonstrators in Sawaldher village of Mardan district northeast of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.The rallygoers, gathered to express support for the country’s judiciary, accused Alam of blasphemy when he made a concluding prayer at the end of the event.“Some words of his prayer were deemed blasphemous by a number of protestors, leading to torture and death at the hands of the angry mob,” said Khan.Witnesses said the police deputy on duty at the rally attempted to save the man by locking him up in a nearby shop, but the mob broke through the door and attacked him.Videos circulating on social media showed people pushing the accused man to the ground, kicking him and beating him with batons. The man died at the scene.Polic...

Israel releases lawmaker said to have smuggled guns

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli authorities released a Jordanian lawmaker to his home country on Sunday, Israel’s domestic security agency said, after he allegedly tried smuggling dozens of rifles and handguns through an Israeli-controlled border crossing.Legislator Imad Al-Adwan’s arrest threatened to further strain ties between Israel and neighboring Jordan, which have had tense relations recently despite a nearly three-decade-old peace treaty. Israel viewed the incident as serious, but Al-Adwan’s release signaled it was hoping to put the potentially combustible affair behind it.Al-Adwan was arrested on Apr. 22 with bags full of more than 200 guns, the Shin Bet agency said in a statement. It said its investigation revealed that Al-Adwan carried out 12 separate smuggling attempts since early 2022, using his diplomatic passport to bring in anything from electronic cigarettes to gold to birds. The Shin Bet said that since the start of the year, he made numerous successful...

12 killed in multi-vehicle crash in Turkey’s Hatay province

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:11:41 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — A multi-vehicle crash in southern Turkey’s Hatay province killed at least 12 people and injured 31 others, including three seriously, officials said.A truck crossed into opposite lanes after the driver lost control late Saturday, colliding with nine cars and two minibuses, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.Many of the vehicles were parked by the roadside near a gas station as friends and relatives said goodbye to men leaving to carry out mandatory military service.Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that fires broke out on the Iskenderun-Antakya highway. The minister tweeted that 22 ambulances and three medical rescue teams were sent to the scene in Topbogazli.“May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, I express my condolences to their relatives,” he tweeted. “We will do our best to ensure that the injured regain their health as soon as possible.”Hatay was one of the worst hit of the 11 Turkish provinces affected by a Feb. 6 earthquake t...