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US shutdown averted, White House prepares to fight for Ukraine aid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

With minutes to spare, President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill Saturday to avert a shutdown and keep the government open for 45 days.In doing so, he capped a chaotic 24 hours that riveted much of Washington but left one of the White House’s top priorities, aid for Ukraine, in serious jeopardy.Like others in the nation’s capital, the Biden White House had been caught off guard Saturday morning when Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly reversed course and announced that he would bring a clean, stop gap bill to fund the government through November 17, 2023.But aides weren’t terribly surprised. They had assumed the government shutdown showdown would end this way at some point — with the main question being whether McCarthy would take his lumps before or after the funding deadline.They weren’t displeased with the outcome either. The bill didn’t just fund the government, it also included $16 billion in disaster relief and, as one White House official noted, avoids “any version of the...

India’s devastating monsoon season is a sign of things to come, as climate and poor planning combine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Sanjay Chauhan witnessed monsoon rains lash down over his home and farm in the Indian Himalayas this year with a magnitude and intensity he’s never experienced before.“Buildings have collapsed, roads are broken, there were so many landslides including one that has destroyed a large part of my orchard,” said the 56-year-old farmer, who lives in the town of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. “I have not seen anything like this.”The devastation of this year’s monsoon season in India, which runs from June to September, has been significant: Local government estimates say that 428 people have died and Himachal Pradesh suffered over $1.42 billion worth in property damage since June. Human-caused climate change is making rain more extreme in the region and scientists warn Himalayan states should expect more unpredictable and heavy seasons like this one. But the damage is also exacerbated by developers paying little mind to environmental regulations and bu...

Rishi Sunak needs to rally his flagging Conservatives. He hopes a dash of populism will do the trick

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

LONDON (AP) — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak heads to the governing Conservative Party’s annual conference on Sunday facing a triple challenge: Cheer up a party that’s trailing in opinion polls, sideline rivals who are eyeing his job and persuade the voting public that a party in power for 13 years deserves another term in office.Sunak’s arsenal includes a package of populist measures — such as slowing moves to phase out fossil fuels — designed to win back voters who have rejected the Conservatives over Britain’s stagnating economy, cost-of-living crisis and waves of strikes that have intermittently shut down doctors’ offices, schools and train services.“Public services are crumbling, the economy’s not responding and (the Conservatives) haven’t met some of the pledges they’ve made, so you’d expect them to be pretty downhearted,” said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. He said that in response, the party is “doubling down on the populism....

Abundant Sunshine and Summer-Level Temps Ahead; Big Temperature Drop For Next Weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

New York City began drying out Saturday after being soaked by one of its wettest days in decades, as city dwellers dried out basements and traffic resumed on highways, railways and airports that were temporarily shuttered by Friday’s severe rainfall.CONTINUE READING

Britain seeks to train military inside Ukraine, UK defense chief says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

LONDON — Britain is in talks to move more training and production of military equipment into Ukraine, U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said.In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, which took place following a briefing with Chief of the General Staff Patrick Sanders on Friday, Shapps said he had been “talking today about eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well.”“Particularly in the west of the country, I think the opportunity now is to bring more things ‘in country,’ and not just training but also we’re seeing [U.K. defense firm] BAE, for example, move into manufacturing in country,” he said.“I’m keen to see other British companies do their bit as well by doing the same thing. So I think there will be a move to get more training and production in the country,” Shapps said.The U.K. and other NATO members have so far avoided setting up a military presence in Ukraine to reduce the risk of a direct conflict between...

Wopke Hoekstra hearing: Live updates as incoming EU climate chief faces grilling in European Parliament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

Wopke Hoekstra, the former Dutch foreign minister nominated to be the EU’s commissioner for climate action, faces tough questioning at a hearing on Monday in the European Parliament, where left-leaning MEPs have raised major reservations on his candidacy. Hoekstra, who has little experience in green policymaking, was put forward by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take over the climate portfolio after Frans Timmermans stepped down from the EU executive to run in the Dutch election set for November.While EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius told POLITICO that Hoekstra is “definitely” suited for the job, Mohammed Chahim, vice president of the center-left Socialists & Democrats in the Parliament, said: “We’re not very keen on him.”Timmermans, an S&D member, resigned as executive vice president responsible for the European Green Deal in August. Von der Leyen decided to split off the climate-action portion ...

A populist, pro-Russia ex-premier leads a leftist party to win in Slovakia’s parliamentary elections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — A populist former prime minister and his leftist party won parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results.Former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party led with 22.9%, the Slovak Statistics Office said early Sunday after completing the count of 99.98% of the votes from some 6,000 polling stations. The election Saturday was a test for the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in Russia’s war if his attempt to return to power succeeded.The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and ...

A suicide bomber detonates a device in the Turkish capital, a second assailant killed in a shootout

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey’s interior affairs minister says a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device near his ministry on Sunday while a second assailant was killed in a shootout with police.Ali Yerlikaya said two police officers were slightly injured during the attack in the Turkish capital, Ankara. The attack occurred hours before Parliament was scheduled to reopen following a summer recess.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A loud explosion was heard was heard Sunday in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara, Turkish media reports said. Some reports said the explosion was followed by gunfire. The cause of the explosion in an area near the Parliament and Ministry of Interior Affairs was not immediately known. There was no immediate reports of any casualties.Parliament is scheduled to reopen on Sunday following a summer recess. Security forces have set up barriers in the area.Television footage showed bomb squads working...

Dear Abby: I believed my dad’s version of why he got fired. Then I was blindsided by the truth.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My dad is the breadwinner in our family. A few years ago, he got fired for looking at “inappropriate” material at work. When he told us what happened, he described it as a raunchy comedy special.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My friend was upset by this playdate incident involving his son. Was I wrong? Advice | Dear Abby: My snappy response about my invalid wife apparently offends people Advice | Dear Abby: My husband’s young crush is back in town, and I’m not supposed to say anything Advice | Dear Abby: She caused me so much pain, and now she wants back in my life Advice | Dear Abby: He won’t buy a bed. Should I date him anyway? So, being a good son and thinking Dad was wrongfully terminated, I started calling law firms to see if he had a case. That’s when the truth came out.Not only had he lied, but he also stabbed me in the back when I went to bat fo...

Saturday Night Five: USC’s offensive defense, UW’s desert escape, Cal’s big win and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:29:56 GMT

Instant reaction to Pac-12 on-field developments …1. Seen this show beforeUSC survived its biggest test of the season thus far, outlasting Colorado 48-41 in rowdy Folsom Field and with the massive ‘Big Noon’ audience watching on Fox.Then again, that’s not saying much.We’re fast approaching the midway point of the season, yet the best team the Trojans have faced thus far, Colorado, lost to Oregon 42-6.The second-best team they have faced, Stanford, lost to Oregon 42-6.The third-best team they have faced, Arizona State, lost to Fresno State 29-0.But despite the weak competition, USC has been anything but dominant in recent weeks. The Trojans struggled to put away ASU, a 34-point underdog with a backup quarterback, then nearly blew a massive lead in Boulder as the defense wilted in the second half.Which brings us to the central point of this item: USC’s defense looks no better than last year’s version.Yes, the Trojans have more quality linemen....