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Fairfax Co. police chopper pilot describes midair laser attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

A Lorton, Virginia, man has been arrested for allegedly pointing a laser at a Fairfax County police helicopter last week.Cameron Van Vleet, 25, was charged with interfering with the operation of an aircraft, a misdemeanor that can potentially carry a one-year prison sentence, according to Virginia law.“We were able to put our thermal camera on the subject and see him actually pointing the laser at us,” said Andrew Edgerton, the pilot of the police helicopter.The helicopter was flying above Lorton late Friday night as police in Fairfax County searched for a man who ran away from Virginia State Police troopers.More Virginia NewsMore Fairfax County NewsVideo from the chopper shows the green laser shining in.https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/RPReplay_Final1678916365.mp4 “Even the little lasers can have a dramatic effect on the aircrew,” Edgerton said. “When it hits the windshield of the aircraft, it spreads, and it becomes very distracting an...

Mets closer Edwin Diaz helped off field after suffering knee injury celebrating World Baseball Classic win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

This could be a nightmare for the Mets.Mets closer Edwin Diaz suffered a right knee injury on the field immediately after Team Puerto Rico upset the Dominican Republic, 5-2, in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night. Diaz will undergo imaging on Thursday, the Mets announced.Diaz, who struck out the side to help his team advance to the quarterfinals, was swarmed by teammates ready to celebrate the upset victory over a loaded Dominican Republic squad.The celebration quickly ended as the Puerto Rican team frantically waved for assistance, with Diaz sitting on the field with his right leg extended.Puerto Rico manager and Cardinals legend Yadier Molina said the closer underwent testing at the stadium in Miami.“I was hugging our coaches in the dugout. Then when we looked up, Edwin was on the ground,” Molina said. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know how to act, I didn’t know how to — what to say. I mean, I didn’t know. It got me for a surpri...

After a tough loss, the Chicago Bulls face a rough final stretch to earn a postseason spot: ‘Every game is important’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

For the last week, the Chicago Bulls have posted the Eastern Conference standings on the board in their locker room. It’s a prominent focal point for a team that barely controls its destiny.The Bulls are teetering on the edge of contention for the last spot in the play-in tournament, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference after spending recent weeks bobbing between the 10th and 12th slots. The final brutal stretch of the season — 14 games in 25 days — will be decided by the ninth-hardest schedule in the league as the Bulls face teams with an average winning percentage of .518.And unless the Bulls win all of those games, their playoff hopes would at least be partially decided by the teams surrounding them in the standings.“They know exactly where we’re at, what’s going on,” coach Billy Donovan said. “But we can’t be a group of guys that sits there and looks at the scoreboard all the time, wanting help from somebody else when we...

From the Jalen Carter saga to the Aaron Rodgers fallout, even a slower day in free agency proved significant for the Chicago Bears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

The NFL’s new league year rang it at 3 p.m. Wednesday, allowing the Chicago Bears to announce the trade of the No. 1 pick, the acquisition of receiver D.J. Moore and the free-agency signings of Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Nate Davis, DeMarcus Walker and Travis Homer. The Bears still have a lot of work ahead to continue fortifying a roster that, as of Wednesday night, had 32 vacancies and an eye-popping number of notable holes. So where will general manager Ryaa Poles turn his attention next?Poles will meet with reporters Thursday at Halas Hall to recap the flurry of activity from the past week while also keeping an eye on what’s still to come. Still, even on a day where the Bears’ only notable addition was the late signing of back-up quarterback P.J. Walker, Wednesday was still a day full of significant developments. Here’s a glimpse into the most notable happenings and what they mean for the Bears going forward.Jalen Carter stumbled through his pro-day w...

Son files wrongful death suit for doctor killed in law enforcement shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The son of a doctor killed in a police shooting in Little Italy last year is suing the county and City of San Diego for the wrongful death of his mother.The lawsuit says law enforcement used excessive force.It’s been one year since the death of Dr. Yan Li and members of the Chinese American community, as well as her son, still want answers.Body-worn camera footage shows the deputy and police encounter between Dr. Li one year ago just moments before her death.“It’s pretty frustrated,” said Sunny Rickard with the Alliance of Chinese Americans San Diego. “For me as a private citizen I definitely want to see the Justice for Dr. Yan Li.” Here’s the next Dump Day event in the San Diego area Deputies says Dr. Li stabbed an officer, then three deputies and a San Diego police officer shot her. But her son filed a wrongful death suit saying his mother was suffering from mental illness and officers used excessive force.“The neighbor had alerted the Sheriff’s Department that Dr. ...

Japan, S. Korea to mend ties at summit amid regional threats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — South Korean and Japanese leaders will meet later Thursday in Tokyo in a bid to overcome disputes over history and quickly rebuild security and economic ties, as a North Korean missile launch and encounters between Japanese and Chinese vessels in disputed waters show what’s at stake for the two countries.Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida invited South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for a working visit following South Korea’s announcement of a local fund for Korean victims of wartime forced labor that will pay compensation the South Korean court judgment has demanded from Japanese companies. The two countries hope that it will restart regular bilateral visits after a gap of more than a decade.The two countries, which have often been at odds over their history, are seeking to form a united front with their mutual ally, the U.S., driven by shared concerns about an restive North Korea and a more powerful China. Their summit comes as a series of dramatic events underscor...

US, partners stage military drills amid Japan-S. Korea talks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The United States, Canada, India, Japan and South Korea are staging joint anti-submarine warfare drills amid talks between Japanese and South Korean leaders aimed at strengthening their alliance with Washington against threats from China and North Korea. The Sea Dragon 23 exercises that started on Wednesday will culminate in more than 270 hours of in-flight training “ranging from tracking simulated targets to the final problem of tracking a U.S. Navy submarine,” the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a news release. Pilots and flight officers from all participating countries will also hold classroom training sessions to “build plans and discuss tactics incorporating the capabilities and equipment of their respective nations,” The 7th Fleet said. The drills are being held as a competition, with the country winning the most points taking home the “Dragon Belt.” The U.S. Navy is being represented by two P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft, currently based in Guam...

‘Star Trek’, swear words and TV characters’ changing mores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

For nearly four decades, Jean-Luc Picard of “Star Trek” has largely been presented as genteel, erudite and — at times — quite buttoned up. Yes, he loses his temper. Yes, he was reckless as a callow cadet many years ago. Yes, he occasionally gets his hands dirty or falls apart.But the Enterprise captain-turned-admiral stepped into a different place in last week’s episode of the streaming drama “Star Trek: Picard.” Now, he’s someone who — to the shock of some and the delight of others — has uttered a profanity that never would have come from his mouth in the 1990s: “Ten f—-ing grueling hours,” Patrick Stewart’s character says at one point during an intense conversation in which he expects everyone will die shortly. The whole thing was in keeping with the more complex, nuanced aesthetic of this decade’s “Star Trek” installments. And the online conversation that ensued illustrates the journey undertaken when a fictional character voyages from the strictures of network and syndicat...

Scientists: Largest US reservoirs moving in right direction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Parts of California are under water, the Rocky Mountains are bracing for more snow, flood warnings are in place in Nevada, and water is being released from some Arizona reservoirs to make room for an expected bountiful spring runoff. All the moisture has helped alleviate dry conditions in many parts of the western U.S. Even major reservoirs on the Colorado River are trending in the right direction. But climate experts caution that the favorable drought maps represent only a blip on the radar as the long-term effects of a stubborn drought persist.Groundwater and reservoir storage levels — which take much longer to bounce back — remain at historic lows. It could be more than a year before the extra moisture has an effect on the shoreline at Lake Mead that straddles Arizona and Nevada. And it’s unlikely that water managers will have enough wiggle room to wind back the clock on proposals for limiting water use. That’s because water release and retent...

Major oil project approval intensifies Alaska Natives’ rift

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:07 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Biden administration’s approval this week of the biggest oil drilling project in Alaska in decades promises to widen a rift among Alaska Natives, with some saying that oil money can’t counter the damages caused by climate change and others defending the project as economically vital.Two lawsuits filed almost immediately by environmentalists and one Alaska Native group are likely to exacerbate tensions that have built up over years of debate about ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project.Many communities on Alaska’s North Slope celebrated the project’s approval, citing new jobs and the influx of money that will help support schools, other public services and infrastructure investments in their isolated villages. Just a few decades ago, many villages had no running water, said Doreen Leavitt, director of natural resources for the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope. Housing shortages continues to be a problem, with multiple generations of...