Flaming tanker crash kills driver and burns homes in Maryland
FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — A tank truck carrying flammable liquid crashed on a Maryland highway and burst into flames, killing the driver and damaging vehicles and homes. Authorities said fire crews arrived to find the truck completely engulfed in a fire that had spread to homes and vehicles. The blaze has since been extinguished. Authorities have confirmed that the driver is deceased, but no other fatalities or injuries have been reported. According to the police, the cause of the accident is under investigation, as is the substance transported by the truck. But officials say it is likely it was a commonly transported liquid such as gasoline that poses no danger to the general public.
Chris Rock will finally have his say in a new stand-up special
A year after Will Smith knocked him out on the Oscars stage, Chris Rock is about to finally have his say. Rock will perform his first stand-up special on Saturday night since last year’s Oscars. And he’s doing it in style, with “Selective Outrage,” a special streaming live on Netflix at 10 p.m. EST. Not only will Rock present about an hour of stand-up from the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore, but Netflix – in its first-ever live broadcast – will end the special with star-studded commentary.
‘Saving Private Ryan’ actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Tom Sizemore, the “Saving Private Ryan” actor whose brilliant 1990s star burned under the weight of his own domestic violence and drug convictions, has died at 61. His manager Charles Lago said Sizemore died Friday at a hospital in Burbank, Calif. He had suffered a brain aneurysm early on February 18 at his home in Los Angeles. Sizemore became a star with acclaimed appearances in ‘Natural Born Killers’ and Michael Mann’s cult crime thriller ‘Heat’. But a serious substance addiction, allegations of abuse and multiple run-ins with the law devastated his career, left him homeless and in debt for millions of dollars and sent him to prison.
Judge Murdaugh’s own legal history unfolded in South Carolina
The judge who sentenced Alex Murdaugh on Friday to life in prison for the murder of his wife and son has drawn attention and applause for his impartial behavior throughout the trial and his disparagement of the once prominent lawyer just before sending him to prison. Judge Clifton Newman, a South Carolina native who attended racially segregated schools in the 1950s and 1960s, addressed Murdaugh directly for about 20 minutes with comments ranging from invoking memories of the son and the slain wife of the accused lamented what he described as attacks on the credibility of the state justice system during the trial.
1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (AP) – Officials say a passenger died when a business jet experienced severe turbulence, forcing a landing at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. Officials said the Bombardier plane ran into trouble on Friday afternoon while traveling from Keene, New Hampshire, to Leesburg, Virginia. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation. The agency said there were three passengers and two crew members on board. An FAA database showed the jet is owned by Kansas City, Missouri-based Conexon. A company official declined to comment on Saturday.
Trapped Californians rescued from snow, helped by neighbors
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Search teams have rescued Californians stranded for days in several feet of snow after back-to-back storms tore through the state’s mountain communities and trapped scores of people in their homes. Authorities rescued a man trapped in a car in Inyo County and two teenage hikers in the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains. The dramatic rescues come as California struggles to dig up residents of mountain communities after storms hit the state. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in 13 counties. Neighbors help each other while struggling with closed roads, downed power lines and collapsed roofs.
Chase Elliott out of NASCAR indefinitely after shin surgery
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hendrick Motorsports says Chase Elliott is out indefinitely after undergoing successful three-hour surgery to repair a fractured tibia. General manager Jeff Andrews says there is no timeline on the NASCAR star driver’s return. Elliott injured his left leg Friday while snowboarding in Colorado. Josh Berry will drive the #9 Chevy in place of Elliott in Sunday’s race in Las Vegas. Andrews said the process has begun to get a waiver from NASCAR for Elliott to be eligible for this year’s playoffs.
The earliest evidence of horseback riding dates back 5,000 years
WASHINGTON (AP) – Archaeologists have found the first direct evidence of horseback riding in 5,000-year-old skeletons in central Europe. The advent of horseback riding transformed human history by accelerating trade, communications and warfare. These early riders belonged to a people called Yamnaya, native to parts of what is now Ukraine and western Russia. The researchers identified them as riders based on six telltale markers that indicate a person was likely riding an animal, including characteristic wear marks on the eye sockets and pelvis. The Yamnaya spread across Eurasia from Hungary to Mongolia, and their relationship with horses may have enabled these great migrations.
Utah governor says he plans to sign abortion clinic ban
SALT LAKE CITY, AP — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday he plans to sign a measure that would effectively ban abortion clinics from operating in the state. His remarks came after lawmakers finalized the ban and sent it to his office for signing earlier in the day. Cox told reporters on Friday he plans to sign the measure, which also clarifies the definition of abortion to address legal liability concerns providers have expressed about how exceptions are framed in state law. State – a provision Republicans call a compromise. The measure is one of many lawmakers have passed this year as a court ruling on abortion restrictions approved in the past remains in effect.
Can Chernobyl’s dogs teach us new survival tricks?
Scientists are studying hundreds of dogs at the Chernobyl disaster site that managed to survive in extremely harsh conditions. They hope that examining animal genetics will give them insight into how humans can live in the most brutal environments. They published their first study on Friday in the journal Science Advances. They say the work sets the stage for future studies that can answer questions like: What kinds of genetic changes help dogs and other mammals survive? And what could harm their chances of survival?
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