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Senate GOP leader McConnell briefly leaves news conference after freezing up mid-sentence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell briefly left his own press conference on Tuesday after stopping his remarks mid-sentence and staring off into space for several seconds. The Republican leader approached the podium for his weekly press conference and began speaking about the annual defense bill on the floor, which he said was proceeding with “good bipartisan cooperation.” But he then appeared to lose his train of thought, trailing off with a drawn-out “uh…” He then appeared to freeze up and stared vacantly for around 20 seconds before his colleagues in Republican leadership, who were standing behind him and could not see his face, grabbed his elbows and asked if he wanted to go back to his office.He did not answer, but slowly walked back to his office with an aide and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a former orthopedic surgeon who is the No. 3 Republican in the Senate. McConnell later returned to the press conference and answered questions from the press.Ask...

Belarusian journalist sentenced to 6 years in prison for reporting on the opposition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A prominent journalist in Belarus was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison, the latest step in a years-long crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalists and human rights activists.On trial in the city of Grodno in western Belarus, Pavel Mazheika, 45, was found guilty of “complicity in extremist activity” for covering the activities of the political opposition. He was accused of working for news outlets including Belsat TV, which broadcasts in Belarusian from its base in neighboring Poland. The Belarusian authorities have labeled Belsat as “extremist.”Lawyer Yuliya Yurhilevich also was sentenced to six years in prison after she was accused of giving Mazheika information on Belarus’ political prisoners, notably on dissident artist Ales Pushkin who died in a Belarusian prison earlier this month.Yurhilevich, 42, who practiced law for almost 18 years and defended human rights activists, was stripped of her license in February 2022.“This is not a ...

Clean energy push in New Jersey, elsewhere met with warnings the government is coming for your stove

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

BRICK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey is pushing an ambitious agenda to move its more than 9 million residents away from natural gas and gasoline to heat their homes and power their cars, in favor of electricity to do the job of both. But like many other places in the country, the moves, designed to lessen the harmful impact of burning fossil fuels on the planet’s climate, are garnering significant opposition from foes who warn that the government is coming to take away your stove and your car.New Jersey utility regulators on Wednesday approved a series of “decarbonization” measures designed to incentivize buildings to switch from natural gas heat to electric. Participation in the programs is strictly voluntary, according to the chairman of the state Board of Public Utilities, who lashed out against “misinformation and lies” being circulated by opponents.Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has said he wants only “zero-emissions” vehicles to be available in the state by 2035.Taken together, they rep...

Hunter Biden’s plea deal on hold after federal judge raises concerns over the terms of the agreement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The plea deal in Hunter Biden’s criminal case unraveled during a court hearing Wednesday after a federal judge raised concerns about the terms of an agreement that has infuriated Republicans who believe the president’s son is getting preferential treatment.Hunter Biden was charged last month with two misdemeanor crimes of failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes from over $1.5 million in income in both 2017 and 2018 and had been expected to plead guilty Wednesday after he made an agreement with prosecutors, who were planning to recommend two years of probation. But U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, raised multiple concerns about the specifics of the deal and her role in the proceedings. The plan also included an agreement on a separate gun charge — Biden has been accused of possessing a firearm in 2018 as a drug user. As long as he adhered to the terms of his agreement, the gun case was to be be wiped ...

Partial settlement reached in lawsuit against Calgary Stampede over abuse of boys

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

CALGARY — A partial settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit against the Calgary Stampede alleging the organization allowed a performance school staffer to sexually abuse young boys.Phillip Heerema received a 10-year prison sentence in 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child pornography and luring. Heerema admitted to using his position with The Young Canadians, which performs each year in the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show, to lure and groom six boys into sexual relationships. The offences took place between 2005 and 2014, as well as in 1992. In court, lawyers forthe plaintiffs and the Stampede announced the settlement involving negligence and breach of duty, but it must still be approved by a judge.The Stampede admitted to full liability and would pay damages that are to be worked out later this summer.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2023.The Canadian Press

Not all heat warnings are equal: 5 things about Canada’s alert system for hot weather

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

MONTREAL — Environment Canada has issued heat warnings this summer for parts of the country used to baking in the heat, but also in places unaccustomed to extended periods of hot weather. Earlier this month, the Northwest Territories and northern Quebec were under heat warnings as temperatures climbed into the 30s. On Wednesday, warnings were in effect not just in southern Ontario but in much of Nova Scotia, northeastern Newfoundland and even Old Crow, Yukon, north of the Arctic Circle.But the temperature that leads to a heat warning in one province could be lower than the temperature that triggers an alert in another part of the country.Here are five things to know about heat warnings in Canada:What exactly is a heat warning?Environment Canada issues heat warnings when temperatures begin posing a health risk. Generally, the warnings act as forecasts that include daytime highs and nighttime lows above a specific threshold for two consecutive days.Heat can be dangerous because it for...

Rob Manfred’s term as baseball commissioner extended until 2029 by MLB owners

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred’s term was extended until 2029 on Wednesday by major league owners.The decision to give Manfred a third term in charge of the sport was made during a vote in a telephone conference call with the 30 team owners. The extension keeps Manfred in place until Jan. 25, 2029.Manfred, 64, succeeded Bud Selig in January 2015 and was given a five-year term. Owners voted in November 2018 to offer Manfred a new deal through the 2024 season. Manfred has overseen a period of on-field change for the sport, including instituting a pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts this season. Game times have dropped by about a half-hour and offense by left-handed batters has increased.He presided over the deal with players that led to pandemic-shortened 60-game schedule in 2020, the institution of automatic runners at second base in extra-inning games that began that year and a 99-day lockout last year that ended with a five-year labor contract that r...

McConnell freezes at briefing, concerning colleagues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) froze for almost 20 seconds while delivering his opening statement at a leadership press conference Wednesday afternoon, prompting murmurs of concern among his colleagues and the assembled press corps.  McConnell told reporters the Senate was on a path to complete work on the annual defense authorization bill and praised what he called “good bipartisan cooperation” before freezing mid-sentence and staring straight ahead without an uttering another word.  The awkward and potentially scary moment prompted a couple members of his leadership team to reach out to see if he was OK. “Are you good, Mitch?” asked Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairwoman Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), putting her hand on the back of his arm. “Are you okay, Mitch?” asked Senate Republican Conference Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a doctor, who put his hand on McConnell’s right forearm. “Anything else you want to say? “Let’s go back to ...

Rabid bats found in Chicago area; IDPH issues warning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

The Illinois Department of Public Health is warning residents of the dangers of rabies after several cases of rabid bats have been reported.IDPH said so far this year, 27 rabid bats have been reported in the state with several of those in Chicago-area counties. There have been five rabid bats each in Kankakee and Lake counties, four in Cook County and three in McHenry County.“Bats are the most common source of potential infection in Illinois, and exposures from bats tend to be more frequent during the summer months, especially July and August,” the department said in news release Wednesday. “Rabies can also be contracted when saliva from a rabid animal comes into contact with a person’s eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound. If someone wakes up to find a bat in the room, that is also considered an exposure even if they cannot identify a bite.”IDPH said rabies can be prevented in a number of ways including:Vaccinating petsBeing cautious around wildlifeSeeking medical care immediately a...

WATCH LIVE | Federal Reserve raises its key rate for 11th time by a quarter-point in its drive to slow inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate Wednesday for the 11th time in 17 months, a streak of hikes that are intended to curb inflation but that also carry the risk of going too far and triggering a recession. The move lifted the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate from roughly 5.1% to 5.3% — its highest level since 2001. Coming on top of its previous rate hikes, the Fed’s latest move could lead to further increases in the costs of mortgages,auto loans, credit cards and business borrowing.Though inflation has eased to its slowest pace in two years, Wednesday’s hike reflects the concern of Fed officials that the economy is still growing too fast for inflation to fall back to their 2% target. With consumer confidence reaching its highest level in two years, Americans keep spending — crowding airplanes, traveling overseas and flocking to concerts and movie theaters. Most crucially, businesses keep hiring, with the unemployment rate still near half-century lows. I...