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8 tips for parents and teens on social media use – from the U.S. surgeon general

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health on social media. But after years of middling and insufficient action by both social media platforms and policymakers, parents and young people still bear most of the burden in navigating the fast-changing, often harmful world of secretive algorithms, addictive apps and extreme and inappropriate content found on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.So what can parents and young people do now? The surgeon general has some tips. “Our children and adolescents don’t have the luxury of waiting years until we know the full extent of social media’s impact,” Murthy said in an advisory released on Tuesday. “Their childhoods and development are happening now.”TIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE— Reach out for help: If you or someone you know is being negatively affected by social media, reach out to a trusted friend or adu...

Prosecutors will seek mental health facility for suspect in Danish mall shooting that killed 3

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish prosecutors said Tuesday they will ask for a 23-year-old man to be detained in a secure mental health facility if he is convicted of murder and attempted murder over a mall shooting in which three people died.Danish authorities have ruled out terrorism in the July 3, 2022, shooting in the huge Field’s shopping center on the outskirts of Copenhagen.The suspected gunman, who cannot be named due to a court order, was detained 13 minutes after the shooting began and apparently selected his victims at random. When the trial starts June 12, the prosecution will not seek a prison sentence but will request that he is placed in mental health facility “without a set time limit.”Two 17-year-olds and a 47-year-old Russian man were killed in the shooting. The suspect has been charged with murder and numerous counts of attempted murder for, among other actions, shooting into a crowd of about 20 people. No one was injured in the crowd.A nearby concert by former On...

Pink Floyd showcases its ‘Dark Side’ as immersive exhibit rolls into Toronto

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

TORONTO — An immersive journey through the mind-bending history of Pink Floyd is headed to Toronto this summer.Organizers say after a successful run in several global cities, “The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains” will land at the Canadian National Exhibition’s Better Living Centre on June 16 with an open-ended run through the season.The 20,000-square-foot exhibit promises a chronological audio-visual experience that starts in the British band’s early underground days before moving on to their monumental albums “The Wall” and “The Dark Side of the Moon,” which marked its 50th anniversary earlier this year.More than 350 artifacts and objects collected from Pink Floyd’s career will be on display, including handwritten lyrics, musical instruments and items from the personal collections of band members.There’s also an array of jaw-dropping original stage props which the band once took on tour, including a giant infla...

Russia fights alleged incursion from Ukraine for second day, reports more drone attacks

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops and security forces fought for a second day Tuesday against an alleged cross-border raid that Moscow blamed on Ukrainian military saboteurs but which Kyiv portrayed as an uprising against the Kremlin by Russian partisans.Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region on the Ukraine border, said forces continued to sweep the rural area around the town of Graivoron, where the alleged attack on Monday took place. Twelve civilians were wounded in the attack, he said, and an older woman died during the evacuation.Gladkov urged residents of the area who evacuated to stay put and not come back to their homes just yet. “We will let you know immediately … when it is safe,” Gladkov said. “Security agencies are carrying out all the necessary actions. We’re waiting for the counterterrorism operation to be over.”It was impossible to independently verify who was behind the attack or what its aims were. Disinformation has been one of the weapons...

Kenneth Law to appear in court for bail hearing in sodium nitrite case today

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

A 57-year-old Mississauga, Ont., man accused of selling a lethal substance to people at risk of killing themselves is scheduled to appear in court today.Peel Regional Police arrested Kenneth Law earlier this month and charged him with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide after investigating two recent deaths in the area.Law is accused of using several websites to market and sell sodium nitrite.While the substance is commonly used to cure meats, Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner says it can be deadly, as 37 people have died from sodium nitrite over the past five years.Police say their investigation has revealed at least 1,200 packages were allegedly sent to 40 countries.Law appeared briefly in a Brampton, Ont., court last Monday, where his case was put over.

Millennial Money: How to pick a socially responsible bank

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

It has never been easier to open a bank account, especially with the spread of online services, but there has also never been so much choice about where to put your money. If you’re overwhelmed by your banking options, think about your ability to shape social change with your money. Now is a great time to consider becoming a customer at a socially responsible bank.WHAT IS A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BANK?Corporate social responsibility is the self-regulation that businesses do to help promote a positive impact on environmental or social issues, such as racial equity.In the banking industry, social responsibility refers to the ways banks can reduce harm or create opportunities for good. For an eco-conscious bank or credit union, that might mean it doesn’t invest in oil pipelines, deforestation or fossil fuels, or it might invest in alternative energy, plant trees or buy carbon offsets. Other banks or credit unions might be committed to equity goals by providing financial literacy programs...

Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish set for Global Citizen’s ‘Power Our Planet’ show for climate financing

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

Music superstars Lenny Kravitz, Billie Eilish and H.E.R. will team with advocacy nonprofit Global Citizen for a free concert in front of the Eiffel Tower designed to convince world leaders to take further action against climate change.“Power Our Planet: Live in Paris” is set for June 22 to coincide with the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, a gathering of the world’s political and business leaders to help developing nations finance sustainability projects.Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans says the summit is an opportunity for governments and global banks to collaborate to jump start climate projects stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. He hopes “Power Our Planet” will encourage leaders to take advantage of that opportunity and provide the $16.7 billion in outstanding climate financing promised in 2009 to lower-income countries. He is also seeking to advance reforms at the World Bank to make up to $1 trillion in additional financing available.“Global leaders and democratically elected...

15-year-old boy killed, 14-year-old wounded after shooting on South Side

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

CHICAGO — One teenager is killed and another is seriously injured after a shooting on the city's South Side.The shooting happened around 10:15 p.m. Monday in the 100 block of West 104th Place. Police said a 14-year-old and 15-year-old boy were walking on the sidewalk when shots were fired.The 15-year-old was discovered near an alley with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead on the scene.The medical examiner has identified him as Jimmie Lee Goodwin. Chicago Public School teacher removed after allegedly threatening student with gun The 14-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and graze wound to the head. He was transported to Comer Children's Hospital in serious condition.No one is in custody. Area Two detectives are investigating.

Tuesday Forecast: Temps reach mid 80s with mainly sunny conditions

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures reach mid-80s Tuesday with mainly sunny conditions, cooler lakeside. Winds: E 5-10 G15. High: 84/74. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly clear tonight. Winds: E 0-5. Low: 56.Wednesday Forecast: Partly cloudy, breezy, cooler lakeside. Winds: NNE 15-20 G30. High: 67/59.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

4 injured in partial crane collapse in Atlanta, police say

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:31:53 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Four people were injured when a crane partially collapsed at a construction site in Atlanta, police said.Police and firefighters rushed Monday to the site in the city's Midtown area. The four people who were hurt were taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, Atlanta police said.Atlanta Fire Captain Michael Roman said firefighters worked to make sure everyone on the construction crew was accounted for, Fox 5 reported. In addition to the four injured, seven other people had to be rescued from the site, the TV station reported.“There are two wrecked cranes on site, and the one that is next to the building is the one that is unstable at this time,” Roman said. Driver detained after box truck crash near White House The scene needs to be secured, he said.“Right now, we determined there is a collapse danger to the cranes, being that it’s unstable,” Roman said. “We got engineers on site, crane experts on site, and we’re just tryin...