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Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, an advocate for liberal priorities, dies at age 90

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD, MARY CLARE JALONICK, LISA MASCARO and MICHAEL BALSAMO (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a centrist Democrat who was elected to the Senate in 1992 in the “Year of the Woman” and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics, has died. She was 90.Feinstein died on Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C., her office confirmed on Friday.President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat, called Feinstein “a pioneering American,” a “true trailblazer” and a “cherished friend” for him and first lady Jill Biden.“Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties,” Biden said in a statement. “She’s made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations.”Feinstein, the oldest sitting U.S. senator, was a passionate a...

Russians allowed to compete as neutral athletes at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Russians will be allowed to compete as neutral athletes at next year’s Paralympics in Paris after avoiding a full ban from the event following the invasion of Ukraine.The International Paralympic Committee voted 74-65 at an assembly in Bahrain on Friday against suspending Russia’s membership entirely — which would have meant a full ban from the Paralympics — but then voted 90-65 in favor of “partially” suspending the country through 2025.The IPC said Russia’s national Paralympic committee was being partially suspended because of “breaches of its constitutional membership obligations.”Similar votes were also planned later Friday for Russia ally Belarus.Russians “will be eligible to participate in an individual and neutral capacity” at the Paralympics and other IPC-governed sports events, the IPC said. It didn’t spell out the exact criteria, but said the athletes would compete as individuals, with no team entries allowed.Any Russian...

Scadding Court’s unique community-driven programs support newcomer entrepreneurs in Alexandra Park

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

Starting fresh in a new city — let alone a new country — can be overwhelming.But in the downtown west-end Toronto neighbourhood of Alexandra Park, a local community centre is helping newcomers get settled by putting them on the path to entrepreneurial success.At Scadding Court Community Centre, independent businesses run by local women and immigrant entrepreneurs are thriving.Executive director Herman Ellis Jr. said Scadding’s success is due to its unique structure. It’s one of only 10 centres that are part of the City of Toronto’s Association of Community Centres (AOCCs).AOCCs have full autonomy to develop programming by their community, for their community.“In terms of AOCCs, as a group, we work together to ensure that our community centres behave in a way where it’s conducive to our community and welcoming to our community, and that our community continues to guide and provide the thrust for that particular organization,” Ellis Jr. explained.On the l...

Mexico’s president slams US aid for Ukraine and sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president on Friday slammed U.S. aid for Ukraine and economic sanctions on Venezuela, Cuba and other nations. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a broad criticism of U.S. foreign policy, saying U.S. economic sanctions were forcing people to emigrate from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Experts say economic mismanagement and political repression are largely to blame for the tide of migrants leaving those countries. López Obrador said the United States should spend some of the money sent to Ukraine on economic development in Latin America. “They (the U.S.) don’t do anything,” he said. “It’s more, a lot more, what they authorize for the war in Ukraine than what they give to help with poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean.”He called for a U.S. program “to remove blockades and stop harassing independent and free countries, an integrated plan for cooperation so the Venezuelans, Cubans, Nicaraguans and Ecuadorans, Guatemalans and Hondur...

Polish democracy champion Lech Walesa turns 80 and comments on his country’s upcoming election

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Former Polish President Lech Walesa said as turned 80 on Friday that he is supporting opposition leader Donald Tusk’s effort to oust Poland’s conservative government in the country’s parliamentary election next month.Walesa, whose Solidarity movement toppled communist rule in Poland in 1989, said the situation under the nationalist government of the Law and Justice party is “worse than bad, and the only way of rescue is in removing them from power.”The government, which came to power in 2015. has clashed with the European Union over upholding the rule of law and democratic values, and its policies on social issues have exposed sharp divisions domestically. Walesa personally knows both Tusk, 66, a former Polish prime minister who leads the opposition Civic Coalition, and Law and Justice leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, 74, served as head of Walesa’s presidential office in 1990-91 and was fired from the job. Walesa served as Poland’s presi...

Powerball jackpot nears $1 billion after long drought of winners

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another Powerball drawing Saturday night, another chance at a jackpot that is inching toward $1 billion.The estimated $925 million prize is the world’s ninth-largest lottery jackpot, behind earlier Powerball and Mega Millions prizes that all topped $1 billion.The prize has grown so large because there have been 30 consecutive drawings without a big winner, dating to July 19. That streak without a jackpot winner is due to the game’s long odds, 1 in 292.2 million, that are designed to make winning rare so grand prizes can grow large.The $925 million prize is for a sole winner who chooses an annuity, with annual payments over 30 years. Winners almost always take the cash option, which for Saturday’s drawing would be an estimated $432.4 million.Federal taxes will eat into those winnings, and some states also tax big lottery prizes.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.The Associate...

Storm floods New York City area, pouring into subways and swamping streets in rush-hour mess

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A potent rush-hour rainstorm swamped the New York metropolitan area on Friday, shutting down swaths of the city’s subway system, flooding streets and highways, and cutting off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport. Up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain fell in some areas overnight, and as much as 7 inches (18 centimeters) more was expected throughout the day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.“This is a dangerous, life-threatening storm,” Hochul said in an interview with TV station NY1. “Count on this for the next 20 hours.” Photos and video posted on social media showed water pouring into subway stations and basements, and reaching the top of cars’ wheels in parts of Brooklyn and elsewhere.The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs subway and commuter rail lines, urged residents of the nation’s most populous city to stay home if they could. Virtually every subway line was at least partly suspended, rerouted or ...

Air Canada pilots picket at Toronto’s Pearson airport as talks continue

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

Air Canada pilots are set to demonstrate at Toronto’s Pearson airport Friday, calling for better wages and working conditions as talks with the country’s biggest carrier continue.Representing more than 5,000 Air Canada aviators, the Air Line Pilots Association kick-started the bargaining process in June, one day after fellow union members at WestJet ratified a new collective agreement.Both the union and employer say the so-called informational picket at Terminal 1, which comes the same day their own nine-year deal expires, will not affect Air Canada’s flight schedule.No strike is imminent, the pilots association said.Charlene Hudy, who heads its Air Canada contingent, said the agreement has grown “stale,” with some co-workers leaving for better pay in the United States.“We’re striving for this world class contract that Air Canada pilots do deserve,” she said, calling the wage gap across the border “unacceptable.”“Ther...

Inflation drops to a two-year low in Europe. It offers hope, but higher oil prices loom

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation that has plagued Europeans declined sharply in September to the lowest level in two years, strengthening hopes that consumers will get relief from costlier groceries, vacations and haircuts — and that the European Central Bank won’t have to further restrict the economy by raising interest rates from already-record highs.The annual rate was 4.3% this month, a drop from 5.2% in August, and the lowest since October 2021, the European Union’s statistics agency, Eurostat, said Friday. But recently higher oil prices are casting a shadow over prospects for quickly beating inflation down to the central bank’s target of 2%. Core inflation, which excludes volatile fuel and food prices, fell more than analysts expected — to 4.5% from 5.3%. The ECB closely watches this figure to assess how inflation is coming down.The fall in core inflation “reinforces our view that the ECB has finished raising interest rates,” said Jack Allen-Reynolds, deputy chief eurozone ...

3 dead after being found unresponsive in Edgewater building: CFD

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:20 GMT

CHICAGO -- A death investigation is underway after three people were found unresponsive in an Edgewater building Friday morning, CFD said.Police found the three adult victims unresponsive in the 5800 block of North Broadway Avenue around 6:30 a.m. 14-year-old boy shot in South Shore One person was pronounced dead on the scene and the two others were transported to Weiss Hospital in critical condition. The victims succumbed to their injuries.WGN is actively investigating the incident and will update as more information is recovered.