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Ex-FTX exec was ‘horrified’ last year when he learned of $13 billion shortfall

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A former FTX executive and onetime billionaire testified against the cryptocurrency exchange’s founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, on Monday at his fraud trial, saying his admiration for him faded as he watched excessive spending on investments, property and celebrities precede a $13 billion shortfall that left him feeling “blindsided and horrified.”Nishad Singh, the former head of engineering at FTX, was part of Bankman-Fried’s trusted inner circle before the cryptocurrency empire collapsed last November. Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas a month later. Singh pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to testify against the man he’d known since high school.Singh told a Manhattan federal court jury that he “felt really betrayed” when he learned in a private conversation with Bankman-Fried on the balcony of their penthouse apartment in September 2022 that there was not sufficient assets to cover $13 billion that had been spent largely on investments,...

Semitruck driver killed when train derails on Colorado bridge, spilling coal cars onto major highway

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A semi-trailer truck driver was killed when a train derailed and a railroad bridge collapsed onto a major highway near Pueblo, Colorado, spilling coal and mangled rail cars onto the roadway and shutting it down indefinitely, authorities said Monday. The 60-year-old driver was initially said to be trapped in the Sunday afternoon accident on Interstate 25, but authorities said Monday that he had died. It was unknown whether any other vehicles were involved, Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Gayle Perez said.Photos and videos posted by authorities showed the partially collapsed bridge with the semi-truck caught beneath in the right lane. The images also show a pileup of train cars and wheels scattered across the scene and loads of coal covering a portion of the highway.A nine-mile stretch of I-25 — the main north-south road corridor in Colorado, used by 39,000 to 44,000 vehicles daily — was shut down in what the Colorado Department of Transportation said Monday ...

Soccer match between Belgium and Sweden suspended after deadly shooting in Brussels

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — A soccer match between host Belgium and Sweden was suspended at halftime Monday after two Swedes were killed in a shooting in central Brussels before kickoff.Fans remained inside the King Baudouin stadium after the European Championship qualifier was stopped and chanted “All together, All together,” with thousands of supporters from both sides also shouting “Sweden, Sweden!” Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines The match was being played around 3 miles (5 kilometers) away from the shooting, with more than 35,000 fans attending. The teams were tied 1-1 at halftime.“Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided after consultation with the two teams and the local police authorities, that the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned,” UEFA said. Belgium's crisis center raised the level of threat in Brussels and its region to the highest and asked citizens to avoid unnecessary travel.The Swedish ...

Therapy Players: Chicago's All-Psychotherapist Comedy Improv Troupe

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

They say a laughter is the best medicine - well a group of therapists are taking that saying to a whole new and literal level. The Therapy Players are an improv group made up of psychotherapists. They just celebrated their 10th anniversary of performing. Joining Spotlight Chicago to educate us on the benefits of improv on our mental health is founding member and clinical psychologist Dr. David Carbonell. 847-481-5251TherapyPlayers.comFacebook: Therapy PlayersInstagram & Twitter: @TherapyPlayersSpotlight Chicago airs weekdays on WGN from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m

VIDEO: Bear breaks into Connecticut home, raids freezer for lasagna

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

BARKHAMSTED, Conn. (WTNH) – Talk about a dine and dash!A bear was caught on security cameras breaking into Helena Houlis' house in Barkhamsted last week, roaming around before zeroing in on her refrigerator.What was it in the mood for? Leftover lasagna from her restaurant, Ana's Kitchen in Simsbury. Surveillance video shows the bear, with brightly-colored tags in both ears and an apparent tracking color around its neck, amble into the kitchen and walk straight to the refrigerator.Standing on its hind legs, the bruin burglar uses its front paws to pull out the freezer section below the refrigerator's doors, accessing the food so effortlessly it looked like a practiced move. Female frogs fake death to evade unwanted male attention, study shows Taking the bag of lasagna in its jaws, the bear steps neatly onto the extended freezer drawer, using it as a stool to hop out of the tight, open window to the deck.Bear sightings aren't rare in Barkhamsted, with 137 reported to the Connecticu...

Terror alert raised to highest level in Brussels after 2 people shot dead

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian authorities raised the terror alert to its highest level in the capital late Monday after the fatal shooting of two Swedes in Brussels that Prime Minister Alexander De Croo linked to terrorism. The gunman remained at large.The killings happened some 3 miles (5 kilometers) from a stadium where over 35,000 fans were watching a Belgium-Sweden soccer match, Belgium's anti-terror center said. The match was abandoned halfway through.“The population needs to be actively vigilant and avoid any unnecessary travel,” anti-terror center spokeswoman Laura Demullier said, adding that the top priority for authorities was to get the thousands of fans safely out of the King Baudouin Stadium.The center also said that the terror alert for the rest of the country was raised to its second-highest level. Raising the terror level in the capital to the top 4 rating means that a “threat is extremely serious.” It previously stood at 2, which means the threat was average.Supporters lit...

White House says they have 'deep commitment' to Israel

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- The White House says President Biden spoke to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend and expressed his unwavering support for Israel.Biden postponed a planned trip to Colorado, staying in Washington to meet with security officials to discuss the situation in the Middle East. Biden is also considering a trip to Israel as a show of support."You always have the support of the United States," said Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. "(There's a) deep commitment to Israel's right and obligation to defend itself and defend its people."Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal says there are concerns that the war could grow beyond the current conflict between Israel and Hamas."The United States is doing everything possible behind the scenes through diplomacy, as well as overtly by sending two carrier strike forces to that region to deter any effort to take advantage of the turmoil," he said.Nearly all U.S. lawmakers agree on providing ongoing suppor...

Truck traffic restricted on part of Hamilton Pool Road

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County officials announced Monday a new order that prohibits through truck traffic along a specific portion of Hamilton Pool Road, just west of Hamilton Pool Preserve. Officials cited safety reasons as cause for the change. The restricted area runs from 2,740 west to 1,677 east of the Pedernales River crossing, depicted below.Hamilton Pool Road through truck traffic restriction zone (Courtesy: Travis County)Travis County officials led both engineering and traffic investigations in the restricted area before enacting the new order. Signs have been installed on Hamilton Pool Road to alert motorists of the change, per a Monday release.The Texas Department of Transportation has also added signs on TxDOT-maintained roads that lead to Hamilton Pool Road, the release added.“The safety of our constituents on Travis County roads will always be a priority for me and my colleagues on the Commissioners Court,” Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard said in th...

Timberwolves analyst Jim Petersen has prostate cancer removed, still plans on calling team’s regular-season opener

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

The Timberwolves play one of their two preseason games that will be broadcasted by the local Bally Sports North crew on Tuesday, when they play host to Israeli squad Maccabi at Target Center.Analyst Jim Petersen will not be on the call.Petersen will miss both preseason broadcasts as he recovers from his Oct. 11 surgery to remove his discovered prostate cancer.“I did have cancer. It’s gone now,” Petersen told Chad Hartman on a WCCO radio appearance Monday. “They took it out. Hopefully, it stays away.”Petersen has had heart issues in the past, noting he has been “poked and prodded” over the past three years. But not included any time recently was a prostate-specific antigen test.That may not have been something Petersen got anytime soon had it not been for his close friend, Vincent Harris. Harris has battled prostate cancer for the past year. He and Petersen talk often as Petersen continues to support Harris throughout his battle. It was Harris who encouraged Petersen to have his pros...

Wild lose another one: Matt Boldy week to week with upper-body injury

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 13:02:12 GMT

MONTREAL — The Wild weren’t going to get through the season without injuries but it would have been nice not to start the parade to the training room so early.After losing captain Jared Spurgeon to an upper-body injury in the penultimate preseason game, the Wild are suddenly without one of their best forwards after Matt Boldy was injured in Saturday’s 7-4 loss at Toronto.As a result, the Wild will skate with 11 forwards in Tuesday’s 6 p.m. puck drop against the Canadiens at Bell Centre.“It’s tough, obviously, but it happens to every team,” coach Dean Evason said after an afternoon practice Monday. “We need to step up in both his and Spurgy’s absence, obviously. It’ll be a really good test for us.”Boldy is officially week to week with an upper-body injury suffered when he was knocked to the ice by Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly midway through the third period on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. The second-line winger had just scored his first goal of the season in the second perio...