August 2024 - The News

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Fatman Scoop passes away after having medical emergency on stage in Hamden

August 31, 2024 0

HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Rapper Isaac Freeman III, popularly known by his stage name Fatman Scoop, has passed away at the age of 53, according to his tour manager.



Fatman Scoop was performing at Hamden Town Center Park when he was transported to the hospital after having a medical emergency on stage, according to Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett.

Credit: Ronice Awudu

Fatman Scoop’s tour manager, Birch Michael, posted to Facebook:

“It is with the heaviest of hearts I announce the passing of Isaac Freeman III, Known professionally as Fatman Scoop. You taught me how to be the Man I am today. I Love you Scoop, Thank you so much for everything you gave to me. Rest In Peace.”

Fatman Scoop was performing as a part of the Hamden Arts Commission Free Summer Concert Series. Details on the medical emergency have not yet been released.

This is a developing story. Check back to News 8 for more updates.

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Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

August 31, 2024 0

 Wheelchair basketball is one of the Paralympics’ most thrilling and high speed events. The Paris 2024 action takes place at the Bercy Arena in the French capital with a host of nations bidding for medals.



Eight men’s and eight women’s teams will fight it out, with over 190 athletes taking part. This is a reduced number of sides from previous editions - at Tokyo 2020, 12 men’s and 10 women’s teams took part. 

In the men’s competition, Great Britain, Spain, USA, Australia, France, Netherlands, Germany and Canada line up; for the women, the field is comprised of Netherlands, Great Britain, USA, China, Canada, Germany, Spain and Japan. 

Two teams of five players battle out on the court, with the hoop at the same height as in Olympic basketball. Given North America’s predominant role in the sport worldwide, it’s perhaps unsurprising that USA and Canada teams have dominated Paralympic basketball over the years.  

The event has been contested in various forms at the Paralympic Games since 1960 (in 1960 and 1964, just men’s teams took part, with two different disability classifications), and USA lead the medal table, with 13 golds, two silvers and eight bronzes; Canada have six golds, a silver and a bronze.  

Israel were strong in early editions of the Paralympics but have since faded as a force. In recent editions, USA, Canada, Australia and Great Britain have been the predominant male nations, with Netherlands, Germany, USA and Australia powerful in the women’s. 

The Netherlands women and USA men – looking for three Paralympic golds in a row – go into Paris as title holders.

Can anyone stop the Dream Team? 

USA wheelchair basketball is flying high. They won in both Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016, and showed that they will travel to France as favourites by lifting the most recent World Championships title, in 2022, too.  

They’ve had a great rivalry with Great Britain’s men over recent years, and beat them in a dramatic 2022 World Championship final in Dubai.  

“The best part of our team is our resilience,” said USA star Steve Serio. “The ability to play our best when the game gets the hardest. We were down at half-time [in the final against GB] we made some adjustments, putting us in a position to be successful.” 

Dutch invincibles look to remain unbeatable 

Netherlands women have been in outstanding form recently as they bid to retain their title © Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Much like the USA men, Netherlands’ women will be the side to topple in Paris. The Dutch won gold at Tokyo 2020, and have also won the last two World Championships, at Dubai 2022 and Hamburg 2018. They’ve also dominated recent European Championships.  

One of their top offensive weapons is Mariska Beijer. “I am very happy, first, I was excited to make it to six finals in a row –Worlds, European Championships and Paralympics and then win the six titles in a row,” she said after the most recent Worlds win. 

“This is unbelievable. We want to continue this winning momentum.” They are going to take a lot of stopping. 

Japan shoot for Asia’s first wheelchair basketball Paralympic gold  

Asia is yet to win a gold medal at the Paralympics games in either gender for wheelchair basketball. The closest a nation has come was Tokyo 2020, where the hosts lost a dramatic final to USA, 64-60.  

It was agony for the Japanese team, but one of their stars, Renshi Chokai, is using the loss to power his 2024 dream. He has become a style icon in the process.  

“Many athletes have been carrying Para sports on their backs,” he said. “My style was to be competitive, get more people to watch games and then build a fan base. Based on the history of Para sports, I want to establish the image of cool in this era.” He will no doubt dazzle again in France. 

British powered by ‘Supermums’  

Team GB are on the up, and they are driven by some remarkable women who juggle careers in elite sport with motherhood. Teammates and couple Robyn Love and Laurie Williams  were fighting for the European title in 2023, less than five months after their daughter Alba was born. 

“Being a parent, I think it grounds you and makes you realise what’s important,” said Love. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to show that mums can do it, parents can do it.”  

France are back  

France are hoping to continue their recent resurgence in men's wheelchair basketball © Mark Madrid/Dubai Club for People of Determination

 

The Paris 2024 hosts have had some decent men’s wheelchair basketball teams over the years – they won gold in 1984, and bronze medals at 1976, 1988 and 1992. They’ve also had three World Championship silver medals, most recently in 2010. 

The team then slumped for a decade – failing to qualify for the 2014 and 2018 Worlds, but have recently started to show signs of life again. Despite an early exit from the most recent World Championships, France put in some decent performances, and are keen to impress on home soil this summer. 

“The team have been building up for the last two years for the World Championships, European Championships and the Paris 2024 Paralympics,” said head coach Karim El Guedda. “It’s a new team and hopefully the same players will play at the Paralympics. The preparation has been good.” 


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Wednesday, August 28, 2024

UTIs are rising fast—and the cause could be in your refrigerator

August 28, 2024 0

 Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are on the rise—and they may be becoming more dangerous. The overall disease burden associated with UTIs has increased by more than 68 percent between 1990 and 2019. At the same time, the bacteria that cause UTIs have developed resistance to common drugs.



Usually, UTIs are thought of as more of a painful nuisance rather than dangerous or fatal. But for an elderly patient or someone with multiple medical conditions, the antibiotics that fight the infection can be essential. Failing to get these antibiotics contributes to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people every year globally. Even when they aren't deadly, the more than 400 million annual worldwide UTI cases significantly strain limited medical resources. 

"We know UTIs are a tremendous cause of morbidity and even mortality, but they are also a huge burden on the U.S. healthcare system—contributing to well over $2 billion annually in healthcare costs," says Michelle Van Kuiken, a urologist and a urogynecologist at the University of California, San Francisco.

Working to ease this burden, scientists have been seeking to identify and understand lesser-known contributing factors. One culprit may come as a surprise: meat contaminated by Escherichia coli bacteria

What are UTIs and how dangerous are they?  

UTIs can start in any part of the urinary system and can affect the kidneys, bloodstream, and uterus, but they most commonly infect the bladder "with symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency to urinate (sometimes despite having an empty bladder), and burning during urination," says Craig Comiter, a urologist at Stanford University. Cramping, fever, malodor, and blood in the urine can also be signs of a bladder infection.  

UTIs occur when bacteria enter the urethra and infect the urinary tract—something that can occur during sexual activity, because of a genetic predisposition, or due to poor hygiene practices such as not wiping properly.  

UTIs are the most common infection treated outside of hospitals in the United States, affecting some 50-60 percent of women during their lifetime. Roughly a quarter of women also report repeat infections within six months.

While UTIs can happen to anyone, they are about 30 times more common in women because females have shorter urethras that are closer in proximity to the anus—a common source of bacteria. Broken down, "the groups at most risk for infections are sexually active women, elderly women, and immunosuppressed men and women," says Comiter. 

When UTIs only affect the bladder, they aren't considered dangerous and usually resolve without treatment—though antibiotics are frequently prescribed to speed the healing process up from weeks to days. When these infections spread to the kidneys, bloodstream, or to different areas of the reproductive system, however, they can lead to serious complications such as blood poisoning, sepsis, kidney damage, or kidney failure. 

When left untreated, "a very small percentage of these cases can even be life-threatening," explains Jacob Lazarus, an infectious disease physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and a bacterial cell biologist at Harvard Medical School. 

Why are the number of UTIs increasing?

The increasing number of UTI cases are due to several factors, one of which is a burgeoning population. "As the population increases, we expect more UTIs and more [of the disease burden associated with] UTIs because there are more people," says Lazarus.

On top of that, some of the conditions associated with UTIs, such as kidney stones and type 2 diabetes, are also on the rise. And a high number of teens and adults are sexually active. "In otherwise healthy women, sexual activity is the number one contributor to developing a UTI," says Van Kuiken.  

The global population is also getting older. "Because UTIs are more common in seniors, their prevalence is increasing as the population ages," says Comiter.  

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Ex-Stoughton police detective indicted in death of Sandra Birchmore

August 28, 2024 0

 A former Stoughton, Massachusetts, police detective has been federally indicted in the death of Sandra Birchmore, accused of killing her and then staging her apartment to make it appear she had committed suicide.



Matthew Farwell, 38, of North Easton, is accused of having a sexual relationship with Birchmore from the time she was 15 years old until she was 23, killing her sometime after she told him she was pregnant with his child. Federal prosecutors say he did so to prevent her from revealing their relationship and his alleged crimes tied to it.

"Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape and then sexual violence, all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout the relationship as an officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department," acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Stoughton police, the Norfolk District Attorney's Office and the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office all released statements on the indictment soon after its release Wednesday — Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara called the allegations "a horrific injustice," while a spokesman for District Attorney Michael Morrissey said the office looks "forward to supporting and assisting Federal authorities as they pursue this prosecution." Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell called Farwell's alleged actions "malicious, predatory, and horrific." Read their full statements below.

Birchmore, who was three months pregnant, was found dead at her apartment in Canton in 2021. While her death was originally ruled a suicide, according to the Boston Globe, a pathologist hired by her family found Birchmore's death was in fact a homicide. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the federal investigation reexamined old evidence and discovered "critical new evidence" that led to the indictment.

Levy declined to comment on why federal investigators originally became involved in the case, but said Wednesday they have been looking into it for around a year.

According to court documents, Birchmore became pregnant and around December 2020 told Farwell he was the father of her child. In January 2021, someone allegedly called the Stoughton Police Department to report that Farwell had been having sex with Birchmore.

Birchmore, according to Levy, was reportedly excited about the pregnancy. In fact, according to the FBI, just days before her death Birchmore was making phone calls inquiring about a newborn photoshoot and baby clothes.

Meanwhile, Levy said, Farwell reacted negatively. He spent years grooming Birchmore and this series of events had him "losing control," "losing patience", and "losing his temper."

In February 2021, Farwell strangled Birchmore to death and then staged her apartment to make the death look like a suicide, the indictment states. He is accused of killing Birchmore "with malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately maliciously and with premeditation, and with the intent to prevent the communication by any person to law enforcement officer of information relating to the commission or possible commission of a federal offense." The official charge is one count of killing a witness or victim, and one count of wire fraud. If convicted, Farwell faces a minimum of life in prison.

Prosecutors also allege that before her death, Farwell told Birchmore to delete evidence that he had sex with her before her 16th birthday. After her death, he researched how to delete data from his own phone, court documents state. He is also accused of lying to the Massachusetts State Police investigators who initially handled the case.

"Let me be clear, Matthew Farwell's gun and badge did not grant him the authority to ignore the Constitution, and they certainly did not entitle him to sexually abuse and rape a child before killing her and her unborn baby in an attempt to cover up his alleged crimes," said Stephen Kelleher, assistant special agent in charge of FBI Boston.

Levy said his office and the FBI will share the results of their investigation with the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office and the other relevant state agencies so they can determine if state charges will be filed.

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K-Pop star Taeil quits NCT 127 after being accused of a sexual crime

August 28, 2024 0

 South Korean singer Taeil has quit the boy band NCT after being accused of sexual crime, his record label announced on Wednesday. The allegations were first communicated to the authorities in June, and Taeil’s departure from the band was announced on August 28 in a statement shared by SM Entertainment. According to Soompi, the label said that Taeil had mutually agreed to depart the bad after being “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime”.



The label also apologised for Taeil’s alleged actions, although the singer hasn’t yet commented on the matter. “We have recently learned that Taeil has been accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense,” the label’s statement read. “As we were assessing the facts related to the matter, we recognized the severity of the situation and determined that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with the team (NCT). After discussing with Taeil, we have decided on his departure from the group. Taeil is currently cooperating fully with the police investigation. We will provide further statements as the investigation progresses. We deeply apologize for the concern and distress caused by our artist.”

NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, debuted in 2016 and has several sub-groups under the larger umbrella. Taeil was a part of NCT 127; other groups are called NCT Dream, and NCT Wish. According to reports, Taeil’s NCT band mates have unfollowed him on social media following the allegations; some have deleted pictures of him from their timelines. Fans have also expressed their anger by destroying photos of the singer, and abandoning him on social media.

SM Entertainment was forced to address a sex scandal involving NCT members Johnny and Haechan earlier this year. In recent times, several reports of sexual misconduct have emerged out of Korea’s hugely influential idol culture. A chatroom expose in 2019 affected scores of celebrities, and went on to be known as the landmark Burning Sun scandal, which shed light on incidents of rape and sex trafficking.

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Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Every Pixar Movie of the 2000s, Ranked

August 27, 2024 0

 Pixar exploded onto the movie scene in 1995, thanks to Toy Story, which was the company’s first feature-length film, and something that revolutionized animation forever. It was a technological marvel, establishing that entire films could be computer animation. The unbelievably good Toy Story 2 ensured Pixar ended the 1990s on a high, and then the company began the 2010s in a triumphant way, thanks to the long-awaited Toy Story 3.



As for what happened between 1999 and 2010? Well, Pixar kept its creative streak going throughout. It got to the point where arguably no other animation studio making feature films has ever had as strong a decade as Pixar had in the 2000s. The following seven films should hopefully prove this, with the company’s worst film of the decade still being relatively well-received, and the other six pretty much being untouchable animation classics.

So, for all the positivity about Pixar’s 2000s output, it is clear that one film stands out as being comparatively weak: Cars. It comes smack in the middle of the company’s 2000s movies; the fourth of seven. Still, it did little to trip up or weaken the hot streak overall, mainly because it’s far from a terrible movie, and also because Pixar put out three absolute bangers in 2007, 2008, and 2009, all of which overshadow Cars, critically speaking.

But as for this 2006 movie? It takes place in a world ruled by cars, and follows a race car getting stranded in a small town on his way to compete in what he thinks is a very important race. There’s a message here, some car-related comedy, and typically high-quality animation, as one would expect from Pixar. Some of its characters are annoying, it’s not ideally paced, and it doesn’t hit too hard emotionally, but it is a more-than-solid family film, albeit one that might appeal more to kids than adults (whereas with better Pixar films, younger and older viewers are likely to enjoy them equally).

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DTE Energy warns of 1,000 downed power lines from storm, urges caution

August 27, 2024 0

 T. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — Marguerite Johnston saw Tuesday's storm roll through Grosse Pointe, saying it knocked out power and brought down power lines like the one sparking on the ground right outside her door.



"I was coming down this street and all of a sudden, kaboom! A light flashing — it was a transformer over there,” Johnston said.

DTE Energy is warning of the danger, saying they have reports of 1,000 downed lines. They are urging people to stay at least 25 feet away, adding kids and pets especially should stay indoors.

“We cannot stress enough the hazards that can be created by the wire downs that this storm has generated,” said Brian Calka, DTE Energy vice president of distribution operations. "Power lines are not always arcing and sparking and making a lot of noise. Power lines that are really just sitting there quiet are equally as dangerous as those that are presenting themselves as such.”

The storm also knocked out power to 200,000 customers, causing damage all over metro Detroit including in St. Clair Shores.

It sounded like a lightning strike but no lightning hit," said Evan Couto, who was in his living room when the tree went down. "It just blew over in the wind. I heard a loud thud and came out to this... It don't hit any houses. Neighbor had a car in the driveway, missed that by a couple inches.”

DTE says they have thousands of crews out working to restore power and 800 more coming in to help from around the Midwest. Many will arrive late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

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