Health

Is MMR vaccine safe for kids? Dr. Nicole Saphier addresses concerns as measles cases rise

Feb. 21, 2025

People often ask why the three vaccines are combined, which Saphier said is simply for convenience. "From a public health standpoint, if the goal is to vaccinate as many children as possible to reach that herd immunity and keep these infections at bay, again, parents are more likely to only bring their child to the pediatrician that one time," the doctor said.

International News

More than 170 Venezuelan migrants deported to Guantanamo arrive home

Feb. 21, 2025

A plane carrying more than 170 Venezuelan migrants who were held in Guantanamo Bay after being deported from the US arrived in Venezuela on Thursday. The 177 were initially flown to Honduras for transfer to Venezuela, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The flight appeared to have nearly emptied out the naval base of migrants sent there as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping crackdown on migration.

International News

Breathtaking images from the Underwater Photographer of the Year contest

Feb. 21, 2025

Fighting fish, thirsty camels and hairy shrimp are all featured among the winning images of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition. Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero was named overall winner for his image showing the relationship between a humpback whale and her newborn calf, according to a statement from organizers on Friday. Herrero took the photograph, which is named “Radiant Bond,” in French Polynesia. “The mother is accompanying her calf to the surface, because the baby is still so small and clumsy,” said Herrero in the statement.

International News

Clashes between Colombian military and guerrilla dissidents leave a soldier dead and another wounded

Feb. 21, 2025

One Colombian soldier was killed and another injured Thursday in clashes with guerrilla dissidents in a coca-growing region where their turf war with a rebel group has left dozens of people dead this year. A statement from an anti-narcotics branch of Colombia’s National Army said the soldiers were carrying out “military stability operations” when they “engaged in combat against” holdouts from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the group’s Spanish acronym.

International News

A flight to a Toronto paramedics conference becomes a real emergency for a former EMT

Feb. 21, 2025

Former paramedic Peter Carlson is still having difficulty putting into perspective the shuddering jolt he and 79 others aboard Delta Air Lines flight 4819 experienced earlier this week. One moment, the 40-year-old was looking forward to arriving in Toronto where he was speaking at an Ontario paramedic chiefs convention. The next, he was hanging — strapped only by his seatbelt — looking down at the airplane’s ceiling, attempting to assess the chaos around him.

International News

Arab leaders to gather for postwar Gaza proposal to counter Trump’s ‘Riviera’ plan

Feb. 21, 2025

Arab leaders are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Friday for the first time to formulate a response to US President Donald Trump’s plan for the US to take ownership of Gaza, expel its Palestinian population and turn it into a Middle Eastern “Riviera.” The meeting – including Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf Arab nations – will take place ahead of a larger Arab summit on March 4, Saudi Arabia said. A meeting of Islamic countries is expected to follow, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry.

Sports

Wembanyama getting no shortage of well-wishes from other NBA players, coaches

Feb. 21, 2025

“It’s a little bit of shock,” said Malone, the coach of the Denver Nuggets. “As a fan of the game, you never want to see anybody, any player — but especially a great player, the future of this league — be shut down for the remaining season. So, you hate to see that happen to anybody. And hopefully Wemby is going to be OK.” That is the Spurs’ belief, that Wembanyama will make a full recovery even though he is not expected to play again this season. He was the favorite to win defensive player of the year, seemed destined for an All-NBA nod and probably would have even been on a few MVP ballots when the votes are cast in April.

International News

Nearly 200 Venezuelan migrants are flown home from Guantanamo Bay, with a layover in Honduras

Feb. 21, 2025

Nearly 200 Venezuelan immigrants to the U.S. were returned to their home country after being detained at Guantanamo Bay, in a flurry of flights that forged an unprecedented pathway for U.S. deportations. U.S. and Venezuelan authorities confirmed the deportations that relied on a stopover in Honduras, where 177 Venezuelans exited a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement flight and boarded a Venezuelan plane bound for Caracas.

Weather

Rain And Storms, Some Severe, For Southern Plains

Feb. 21, 2025

The threat of severe weather for the Southern Plains continues this week as a cold front pushes through the region bringing stormy skies and heavy rain. Here’s what to expect.

Sports

Victor Wembanyama’s season is over. What’s next for the Spurs star?

Feb. 21, 2025

Victor Wembanyama is one of the faces of the NBA, the star of the San Antonio Spurs and already one of the biggest names in basketball. And his season is over, after the Spurs announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. The 7-foot-3 center from France was averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists this season. Since blocked shots became an official statistic, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — nearly a half-century ago — finished a season with those numbers or better.