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US House leader and Taiwan president meet as China protests

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Risking China’s anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a “great friend of America” in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil.Speaking carefully to avoid unnecessarily escalating tensions with Beijing, Tsai and McCarthy steered clear of calls from hard-liners in the U.S. for a more confrontational stance toward China in defense of self-ruled Taiwan. Instead, the two leaders stood side by side in a show of unity at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, acknowledging China’s threats against the island government but speaking only of maintaining longstanding U.S. policy.“America’s support for the people of Taiwan will remain resolute, unwavering and bipartisan,” McCarthy said at a press conference later.McCarthy evoked Reagan’s peace-through-strength approach to foreign relations and emphasized that “this is a bipartisan meeti...

Celtics All-Star Tatum, Smart, Horford out vs. Raptors

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum is one of three starters Boston will be without when it hosts the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.The night after falling 103-101 at Philadelphia, Tatum is sitting with a bruised left hip. He’ll be joined on the sideline by Marcus Smart (neck spasms) and Al Horford (back spasms).Tatum scored 19 points in 38 minutes in Tuesday’s loss. Smart played 30 minutes, scoring 17 points. Horford had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes, but is continuing to rest on the second night of back-to-backs. The absences come as Boston tries to hold onto its fading hopes of catching Milwaukee for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Boston trails the Bucks by three games with three to play, meaning it will likely be the No. 2 seed. It holds the tiebreaker over the Bucks and has a two-game lead over the third place 76ers. ___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press

EPA tightens mercury emissions limits at coal power plants

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules that limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants, updating standards imposed more than a decade ago.The rules proposed Wednesday would lower emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants that can harm brain development of young children and contribute to heart attacks and other health problems in adults.The move follows a legal finding by EPA in February that regulating toxic emissions under the Clean Air Act is “appropriate and necessary” to protect the public health. The Feb. 17 finding reversed a move by former President Donald Trump’s administration to weaken the legal basis for limiting mercury emissions.The proposed rule will support and strengthen EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which have delivered a 90% reduction in mercury emissions from power plants since they were adopted in 2012 under former President Barack Obama, EPA Administrator Michael Regan ...

RBC chief executive defends climate plan as shareholders criticize record

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

TORONTO — RBC chief executive Dave McKay defended the bank’s climate plan at its annual shareholder meeting Wednesday as numerous attendees criticized it for not doing enough.Speaking at the event held this year in Saskatoon, McKay emphasized the importance of an orderly net-zero transition since instability in food, energy or security will throw off efforts to rein in climate change.“Where any of those, one or more of those elements, aren’t present, then the focus on this critical climate journey is put aside.” He also said there needs to be a wider shouldering of the burden of change. “We are putting all the pressure in society on the manufacturing supply side to change and make it an easy journey for us as citizens, and so far, for the most part, we’ve appeared unwilling to change our consumption behaviours or mobility behaviours to lower our footprint.”His comments come as the bank faces a barrage of criticism from those pushing for shareholder reso...

3 charged in York University stabbing, assaults

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

Toronto police say three men turned themselves in after allegedly being involved in two assaults and a stabbing that seriously injured one person on a York University campus.Officers responded to a stabbing call in the York Boulevard and Keele Street area around 6 p.m. on March 29.It’s alleged that a male victim was walking on the York University campus when he was approached by three unknown males demanding he hand over his jacket.The three suspects began assaulting the victim, who eventually escaped. Police said the victim witnessed the group of suspects attacking a second person, and he went over to assist them. The suspects then stabbed the first victim before fleeing on foot.The first victim was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.On Tuesday and Wednesday, police said three men — aged 18, 19 and 20 — turned themselves in. They were identified as Jan Apostol, 18, Miguel Campos Moscoso, 19, and Jay Javinal, 20, all of Toronto.Apost...

Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson details plan heading into inauguration

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

CHICAGO — Next month, 47-year-old Brandon Johnson, a teacher turned activist, turned Cook County Commissioner, will be sworn in as the 57th Mayor of the City of Chicago.He is inheriting a city that seven-in-ten voters say is on the wrong track, especially when it comes to public safety."Well again, public safety is something that we are all deeply impacted by. It’s a problem, it’s a serious one, and it’s one that I live every single day," Johnson said during an interview with WGN. "As much as I love living on the West Side of Chicago in Austin, in particular. I might be the first mayor elected in a long time who will live in one of the most violent neighborhoods in the entire city of Chicago."While not everyone buys into Johnson's comprehensive crime strategy, Johnson said there are points in his plan that few have disagreed with. Brandon Johnson elected Chicago mayor, defeating Paul Vallas "Here’s what I’m confident in. No one disagrees with youth employment, no one disagrees wit...

Man allegedly uses AirTag to track down stolen truck, fatally shoots person inside

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KVEO) — A Texas man has been accused of tracking down his truck, which he said was stolen, and shooting the person he found inside of it, police said.According to the San Antonio Police Department, officers responded to reports of a shooting on March 29 at a shopping center. Responding officers found a man standing near a vehicle, who told them he had been involved in a shooting. Suspected catalytic converter thief crushed to death at Georgia car lot The man explained to police that his vehicle had been stolen earlier that afternoon and that he was able to track it down. A department spokesperson told KENS the man had used an Apple AirTag, a small tracking device made by Apple, to find his vehicle.According to police, the man followed the AirTag to the shopping center and saw another man sitting in the vehicle in a parking lot. While he did call police to report his vehicle as stolen, an agency spokesperson told MySA he did not wait for officers before confron...

Florida among states loosening gun laws

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Florida this week became the 26th state to allow carrying a firearm without a permit. While the move infuriated parents of children killed in school shootings and drew derision from the White House, Republicans who backed it argue it will make people safer.The bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in a private ceremony Monday allows residents to carry a concealed loaded gun without a permit or training. It goes into effect July 1.Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, said he fears the rule change will lead to more carnage."I'm angry about it," Guttenberg said. "We become a more dangerous state. That's what the implication is."The White House slammed Florida, Tennessee and 24 other states for passing similar measures."What we're seeing from Florida to Tennessee … are Republican officials who are doubling down on dangerous bills," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "Republicans legislators want to...

KFC releases official statement over ‘appalling’ sign at Texas location

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

LUBBOCK, Texas (KLBK) -- A Texas location of fast-food chain KFC released an official statement on Wednesday morning in regards to a sign that some people referred to as racist. A spokesperson for KFC said the location on the 1200 block of 50th Street in Lubbock, Texas, was "vandalized with an appalling message." The sign featured a racial slur about people getting sold for two cents. Hyde Park girls boxing program looks to change perceptions According to KFC, the sign was discovered by employees when they arrived to open the store on Tuesday and was "immediately removed." KFC asked the public for "kindness and understanding" for the sake of the employees because, "This act of hate is felt heavily by the restaurant team." Texas Tech freshman works to make her dream of being Disney’s next CEO come true In addition to the official statement, KFC also posted another statement on its door that said, "Overnight on April 4th the sign at a local KFC restaurant was vandalized with ...

LSU's Angel Reese blasts Jill Biden's 'apology,' says 'we'll go to the Obamas'

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:27:15 GMT

(The Hill) – Louisiana State University (LSU) star forward Angel Reese called out first lady Jill Biden’s “apology” after initially suggesting that the Iowa Hawkeyes, the runner-ups of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball national championship game, should also get a White House visit.“If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House,” Reese said. “I remember she made a comment about both teams should be invited because it’s sportsmanship. And I’m like, ‘Are you saying that stuff because of what I did?’ Stuff like that, it bothers me,”  Resse said during an appearance on the “I Am Athlete’s “Paper Route” podcast published Tuesday. “You are a woman at the end of the day and you’re supposed to be standing behind us before anything.” Reese also told co-hosts Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss that her team refused to meet with the first lady before the championship game, noting their dissatisfaction that her husband, President Biden, had chos...