Possible tornado strikes Alabama. storm system heads toward Northeast LEEDS. Ala. — A possible tornado passed through central Alabama on Thursday night as a severe storm toppled trees and left thousands of people without power. The storm is a part of a larger storm projected to hit the Northeast near the end of this week. New York will experience a variety of inclement weather due to Winter Storm Miles. Long Island is under heavy wind watch on Friday. according to Accuweather. New York City and New Jersey could see heavy rain impact the area. Western New York faces the possibility of freezing rain. As of Friday morning. nearly 100.000 customers in the Northeast have no power. The twister was reported in the Birmingham suburb of Leeds. where a tree fell onto a mobile home while a couple was inside. according to news outlets. Resident Chris McClendon said he arrived home to find the tree on his neighbors’ mobile home. 'I got out of the truck and I could hear the woman screaming for help.' McClendon told WBRC TV. McClendon said he was able to help get the woman out. with the assistance of her husband. Leeds Mayor David Miller said there were reports of damage in the area. but no serious injuries were reported. The Birmingham area National Weather Service office said it would be sending crews out Friday to survey the damage. Nearly 6.000 customers remained without power in Alabama as Friday morning. according to poweroutage.us. #Sports ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMUYXOcrKR4

Derek Chauvin joked while restraining George Floyd. former officer testifies (CNN)Former Minneapolis police officer J. Alexander Kueng laughed at a joke made by Derek Chauvin while restraining George Floyd. according to testimony Thursday. Citing body camera video transcripts. Assistant US Attorney Manda Sertich asked Kueng during cross examination what he was laughing at on video. Kueng told the jury that a few days earlier. he and Chauvin had responded to an incident at a hospital involving a patient who was restrained and yelling that he could not breathe. After a nurse had said. 'it takes a lot of oxygen.' Chauvin said that he would use that line. Kueng referred to it as 'a brief moment of levity.' Kueng is one of three officers including Tou Thao and Thomas Lane standing trial in federal court for violating Floyd's civil rights. All three are each charged with deprivation of rights under color of law while Chauvin restrained Floyd. Thao and Kueng are also charged with willfully failing to intervene in Chauvin's use of unreasonable force. resulting in Floyd's death. The three have pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and are being tried together. Chauvin admitted guilt in December as part of a plea deal. All three former officers will face a state trial later this year on charges of aiding and abetting in Floyd's murder. Sertich asked Kueng about the moments leading up to Floyd's restraint and about his recollection of Floyd on the ground. While displaying a Minneapolis Police Department training document titled 'Conscious Neck Restraint.' Kueng said he had not been trained or aware of the 'technique using the leg.' 'The senior officer must have been trained in it at some point.' Kueng continued. referring to Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd's neck. Sertich then attempted to show a portion of Thao's bodycam video showing the scene about one minute into Floyd's restraint. Kueng's defense attorney. Thomas Plunkett. objected to the use of bodycam audio. claiming it showed a perspective Kueng was not aware of at the time. 'Yes. at some point.' he replied. adding that Lane had said Floyd was passing out. Kueng defined it as a medical concern. but not a 'serious medical need.' as Sertich referred to it. Sertich asked if it's fair to say that Kueng could have performed CPR in his position while on the ground. Kueng agreed. saying that they could have uncuffed him and secured the scene. He added that the paramedic seemed 'quite casual' when he arrived. Kueng testified he had little experience handling large individuals resisting arrest before the fatal encounter with Floyd. Citing a December 2019 call for service involving an intoxicated person striking people at a bar. Sertich asked Kueng if the man continued to resist arrest after being ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ejLbp-oFE

Judge in Sarah Palin's defamation suit against New York Times says he will dismiss case New York (CNN Business)Judge Jed Rakoff. the judge overseeing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. said Monday afternoon that he will dismiss the suit. ruling that Palin's team did not prove a key element of its case. Rakoff's ruling came while the jury is deliberating over a verdict and Rakoff said he will allow the jury to continue deliberating and to reach a verdict. and will dismiss the case once it has done so. Rakoff presented his findings a clear round one win for The Times with an eye toward an inevitable appeals process. The judge said Palin did not prove 'actual malice.' which is the standard her legal team had to meet in her defamation case. The landmark 1964 New York Times vs. Sullivan case specifies that public figures who sue for defamation must prove that the offender knew the claim was false or showed 'reckless disregard' for the truth. The Times said all along that it made an honest error involving Palin — and issued a swift correction. Palin argued that the publication smeared her on purpose. Rakoff sided with The Times after hours of discussion about the publication's motion that the Palin camp had not presented a 'legally sufficient evidentiary basis' for the case. 'I think this [was] an example of very unfortunate editorializing on the part of the Times.' Rakoff said in court Monday. 'The law here sets... #Sports ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGqMEc3KqOI

An American Airlines flight was diverted to Kansas City due to an 'unruly passenger' (CNN)An American Airlines flight was diverted to Kansas City International Airport in Missouri on Sunday afternoon because of 'an unruly passenger.' the airline said in a statement. 'American Airlines flight 1775 with service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Washington. D.C. (DCA) diverted to Kansas City (MCI) due to an unruly passenger.' the statement. provided to CNN. said. 'The flight landed safely at MCI at 2:28 p.m. local time. and law enforcement was requested to meet the flight on arrival.' it added. 'We're grateful to our crew members. who are consistently dedicated to the safety and care of our customers and who handled the circumstances with the utmost skill and professionalism.' Kansas City Aviation Department spokesperson Joe McBride told CNN there was a 'passenger interfering with the flight crew.' adding the incident will be under the jurisdiction of the FBI. The FBI confirmed the incident in a statement to CNN. adding the individual in question had been taken into custody. 'The flight was diverted due to an unruly passenger interfering with the flight crew.' the FBI's statement said. 'The individual has been taken into custody. No further information is available at this time.' The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed to CNN that the flight's crew reported a passenger disturbance aboard the Airbus A321. Mouaz Moustafa. a resident of Washington. DC. was aboard... #Sports ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvpfKkOBHpA