Lou Whitaker, America's most famous mountaineer, dies at age 95
SEATTLE (AP) — Legendary American mountaineer Lou Whitaker has died at the age of 95. Mr. Whittaker is known for helping climb Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, and for mentoring generations of mountaineers on more than 250 trips to Mount Rainier. Whittaker's guiding company, RMI Expeditions, said he died peacefully at his home on Sunday. Whitaker and his twin brother Jim Whitaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his Boy Scouts in the 1940s. Jim Whitaker became the first American to successfully climb Mount Everest in 1963. Although Lou Whitaker did not summit Everest himself, in 1984 he led an expedition that became the first American to reach the summit from the cold north.
NHL's Capitals and NBA's Wizards remain in Washington after Virginia Arena deal collapses
WASHINGTON (AP) — The NBA's Washington Wizards and NHL's Washington Capitals are staying in the District of Columbia. Owner Ted Leonsis and Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the $515 million deal at a press conference Wednesday. Monumental Sports & Entertainment's agreement with the city comes as Alexandria officials announced they have concluded negotiations for a new arena that would move the team to Virginia. The development was a blow to Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. He wanted to move the team across the river as part of the $2 billion offer he announced with Leonsis in December.
TikTok is under FTC investigation over data practices and could face lawsuit
NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok over its data and security practices, according to people familiar with the matter. The FTC found that TikTok did not violate a section of federal law that prohibits “unfair and deceptive” business practices by denying individuals in China access to U.S. user data, the people said. They say they are investigating whether that is the case. The agency is also scrutinizing the company for possible violations of child privacy laws. The investigation is the latest battle in Washington over TikTok. The social media company is already fighting a federal bill that could ban the platform in the United States unless it sever ties with Beijing-based parent company ByteDance.
Hand-picked numbers were the golden ticket to a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot in New Jersey
NEPTUNE, N.J. (AP) — A person who bought a single ticket in New Jersey overcame adversity to win a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, breaking a winless record that dates back to December of last year. Ta. State lottery officials said the winning ticket was sold at ShopRite Wines & Spirits of Neptune on the Jersey Shore. Until the latest drawing, no one had matched all six numbers to win the Mega His Millions jackpot since December 8th. Winning the Mega Millions jackpot is difficult as the odds are extremely long at his 1 in 302.6 million. The prize is the eighth largest in U.S. lottery history. The $1.13 billion jackpot will go to the winner, paid through an annuity. Most winners choose to pay in cash, which brings his total to $537.5 million.
My Pillow, owned by election denier Mike Lindell, officially evicted from Minnesota warehouse
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A court has ordered MyPillow to vacate a warehouse it previously used in a Minneapolis suburb. But Mike Lindell, the company's founder and a prominent election denier, said Wednesday that this is just a formality because the landlord wants the property back. In an interview with The Associated Press, Lindell denied the eviction was another sign of his financial woes. After last year's credit crunch disrupted MyPillow's cash flow, he says its financial position is actually improving. The company lost one of its major advertising platforms and pulled out of several national retailers.
Ukraine's soccer victory provides a distraction from the tragedy of war
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainians expressed their gratitude to the men's soccer team for qualifying for the European Championship. This is rare good news and a welcome distraction from the war with Russia. Celebrations after Ukraine's 2-1 win over Iceland were muted as Russian missiles rained down, but the team's success will be felt by Ukrainians when the tournament opens in Germany this summer. It gave me a lot of cheer. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Tuesday night's victory was emotional and proved that “whenever Ukrainians do not give up and continue to fight in the face of difficulties, they will always win.” Ukraine will face Belgium, Slovakia and Romania in the group stage of Euro 2024, which begins in June.
A $15 toll was approved for cars to enter parts of Manhattan.This is the first time this has happened in a U.S. city.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York is on track to become the first U.S. city to impose congestion fees on drivers entering the central business district. Transportation officials approved the toll plan Wednesday, allowing most motorists entering Manhattan's Central Park south zone to pay a $15 toll during the day. Supporters of tolls argue that tolls would encourage more people to use public transit, reduce congestion and make public buses and emergency vehicles faster. It is expected to raise $1 billion a year to fund improvements to the public subway and bus systems. The state Legislature approved the toll in 2019, but the pandemic and lack of federal regulation stalled the project.
Banksy's tree mural sprouting in London to be fenced off after apparent vandalism
LONDON (AP) — An environmentally-themed mural by the elusive street artist Banksy that appeared on a London street last week has been wrapped in plastic and fenced off after apparent vandalism. The piece quickly attracted a crowd, but after two days, the white paint was splattered on it. Local authorities said they are fencing the site to protect the art and reduce the impact of visitors, but will use plastic panels to ensure clear visibility. Banksy's works have sold for millions of dollars, and other outdoor murals are often stolen or removed shortly after appearing. The newest creation relies on nearby trees for its impact, which will make it even more difficult to remove.
NBC cuts ties with former RNC chief Ronna McDaniel after employee protests (partially on air)
NEW YORK (AP) – NBC News is severing ties with former Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, who was hired last week as an on-air political contributor. The decision was communicated in a memo to staff by executives in the station's news department after an outcry from some journalists and commentators, according to the executive memo. The call from NBC News Group Chairman Cesar Conde came four days after the network announced that McDaniel had joined as a paid contributor to provide political analysis. The reaction from journalists and others in the network was swift and public.
Famous American sculptor Richard Serra, known as the “Iron Poet,'' dies at the age of 85
Renowned American artist and sculptor Richard Serra has died at his home in Long Island, New York. He passed away at the age of 85. According to his lawyer, the artist died of pneumonia. Serra is known around the world for transforming curved walls made of rusted steel and other malleable materials into large-scale outdoor works of art, making him one of the finest sculptors of his generation. was. He became known as the “Iron Poet”. Originally from San Francisco and studying as a painter at Yale University, Serra began sculpting in 1966, inspired by his travels to New York, Europe, and North Africa.
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