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FDA approves first vaccine against chikungunya virus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it has approved the first vaccine to prevent disease caused by the chikungunya virus.The single-dose vaccine, Ixchiq, made by Valneva Austria GmbH, is approved for adults who are at an increased risk of exposure to the virus. Ixchiq was granted fast track and breakthrough therapy designations.Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease whose name in the Makonde dialect of Africa means “bending over in pain,” has no specific treatment and can be debilitating and even deadly for newborns. Health experts consider it to be an emerging threat to global health made worse by climate change, with at least 5 million cases in the past 15 years, although deaths and severe illness are rare, according to the World Health Organization.People most at risk of infection live in Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of the Americas, where chikungunya-carrying mosquitoes are endemic, but the climate crisis has driven the virus to new p...

Adebayo scores 26 points as depleted Heat show off depth in 117-109 win over Hawks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 26 points with 17 rebounds and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. added a career-high 20 points as the short-handed Miami Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 117-109 on Saturday night for their fourth straight win.Miami was playing its first game since leading scorer Tyler Herro sprained his right ankle in Wednesday night’s 108-102 win at Memphis. Herro is expected to miss at least two weeks. Another top scorer, Jimmy Butler, missed the game against Atlanta for personal reasons.The Heat showed off their depth to find scoring from different sources.Kyle Lowry scored 17 points and Josh Richardson had 16, also a season high. Duncan Robinson scored 11 points in his first start of the season.Trae Young led Atlanta with 27 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and 11 assists. Dejounte Murray had 23 points.Jaquez, making his third start, almost doubled his previous high of 11 points against Memphis. .Jaquez, the first-round pick from UCLA, hit a buzzer-beating 3-...

Portion of Fort Lauderdale home damaged after fire ignites; no injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

A fire damaged a portion of a home in Fort Lauderdale.According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, the blaze sparked in an area in the back of the house along Florida Avenue, near East Dayton Circle, early Saturday afternoon.Crews got to work fast and were able to keep the flames from spreading.Firefighters said no one was hurt.

Kristaps Porzingis’ humility shines as Celtics sweep back-to-back with blowout win over Raptors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

Kristaps Porzingis only took four shots in Friday’s win over the Nets, but Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla still thought the big man made a valuable offensive impact.Mazzulla said the best thing that went unnoticed in that win was Porzingis’ screening, which opened up driving lanes and open looks for his teammates. Porzingis may not have been directly involved as he finished with just nine points, but his presence was certainly felt.The Celtics viewed Porzingis as a critical difference maker this offseason to put them over the top, and as he continues to build chemistry with their core by the day, it’s easy to see why. His mere presence on both ends has made these Celtics more dynamic.On Saturday, the theme continued. Porzingis was much more involved, scoring 21 points on 14 shots, and he once again helped unlock his co-stars because of his humility and willingness to sacrifice. Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Jayson Tatum added 27 and the Celtics rode one of their best defensive effor...

Woman, 2 toddlers critically injured in 2-alarm blaze in North York

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

Three people, including two children under the age of three, have been taken to hospital with critical injuries following a 2-alarm apartment fire in North York.Firefighters were called to a three-storey building on Wilson Avenue west of Keele Street just before 9 p.m. Saturday.“During the course of operations our crews made rapid entry into the third floor apartment involved in fire,” Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg said in a late night update from the scene. “Unfortunately in the course of those search and rescue operations they located three occupants inside that unit.”Pegg says all three were rescued and taken to hospital with critical injuries.Paramedics tell CityNews a woman, believed to be around 40, and two toddlers between the ages of 1 and 2 were admitted in life-threatening condition. The building was evacuated and no further injuries have been reported. Pegg says the fire is under control and the Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to in...

Police investigate armed robbery at CVS in southwest suburbs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

BURBANK, Ill. — Police say an investigation is underway after a robbery at a business in the southwest suburbs. According to Chicago police, the robbery happened at a CVS pharmacy in the 8600 block of South Cicero Avenue in Burbank, Illinois, on Saturday afternoon. Police say a man walked into the store and held an employee up at gunpoint before demanding money from the register. The employee complied with the demands and after receiving the money, police say the man then fired a shot into the ceiling of the business. Teen killed in shooting on Far South Side Currently, it is unclear why a shot was fired during the robbery, but police say nobody was injured. Police say no arrests have been made in connection with the robbery and an investigation is underway. Anyone with information on the robbery can leave a tip for police at CPDTip.com.

Agency stands by to support family of fallen Austin police officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

Austin (KXAN) — An agency that supports the loved ones of fallen responders waits to be of service to the family of an Austin police officer killed while responding to a hostage situation early Saturday morning.The Austin Police Department has identified the officer as Senior Police Officer Jorge Pastore, who joined APD in 2019 and served on several special teams. He is survived by his wife, two stepsons, parents and two sisters. APD Chief identifies officer killed while attempting hostage rescue The 100 Club of Central Texas provides financial and emotional support for families of emergency responders that have been killed or critically injured in the line of duty.Eleysa Richards, an assistant director of the organization, said it is aware and waiting to be contacted by the department for its services."We're kind of in a holding pattern as we wait for the department and the families to be ready to receive us. As soon as they're ready, we'll provide them with the financial suppor...

Upper Sioux Agency State Park session participants voice frustration over funding for park replacement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — Participants in a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources-led process to find replacement recreational opportunities for the loss of the Upper Sioux Agency State Park expressed frustration that the funding is woefully inadequate to do so.Many also voiced feelings that the process has not generated the input needed because many believe the park process is a “done deal.”“I don’t know the state is realistic in the investment back to southwestern Minnesota and the river,” Peg Furshong told representatives of the Minnesota DNR. She spoke Wednesday in Granite Falls at the second and final community input meeting on the transfer.Furshong said she supports the transfer of the 1,300-acre park to the Upper Sioux Community but like many others at the meeting feels that the $4.5 million available for enhancing recreational opportunities in place of the park “is pretty insignificant.”She pointed to land costs and her familiarity with the costs of developing recreational ...

Men’s hockey: Gophers rally to tie Michigan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Several recent trends continued on Saturday as the Minnesota Gophers escaped Michigan with a 2-2 tie, grabbing four out of a possible six points in their weekend road series with the Wolverines.For example: Michigan took an early lead and scored on a power play. Minnesota rallied, twice, and took advantage of the Wolverines’ propensity to let late leads slip away. And the Gophers — for the second Saturday in a row — failed to score in a shootout, as Michigan grabbed the extra point.The Gophers (5-3-2 overall, 1-2-1-1 Big Ten) got goals from Brody Lamb and Jimmy Snuggerud, along with 37 saves from goalie Justen Close in the game. The come-from-behind effort drew praise from their coach.“I really liked us tonight. We got dragged into the fight by a very talented hockey team, and our guys battled their rear ends off,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said in postgame comments. “We probably deserved a little better fate. I just give our guys credit. If that’s game 10 and it’s...

State volleyball roundup: Wayzata caps perfect season with fourth straight Class 4A crown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:12 GMT

CLASS 4AWayzata achieved perfection and history all in one match Saturday, sweeping New Prague 25-20, 25-23, 26-24 in the Class 4A state championship match to win its fourth straight state title.The victory was Wayzata’s 44th straight dating back to last season and capped a perfect 34-0 campaign.New Prague led the third set 24-23, but Olivia Swenson delivered back-to-back kills to bring Wayzata to championship point, and the title was clinched by a New Prague attack error.Swenson paced Wayzata with 14 kills, while Katie Kelzenberg added 10 more. They were consistently set up by the state’s top setter, Stella Swenson.New Prague’s runner-up finish came in its first season in Class 4A after moving up from Class 3A in the offseason. Avery Klein had 10 kills for New Prague (27-5).New Prague certainly battled Wayzata. Even the second set was tied 23-23, but Wayzata found a way to make the key plays at the key times. And, at the end of the day, it was another sweep for Wa...