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Political collateral? Oregon GOP walkout on abortion, trans health bill threatens school funds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Funding for schools, literacy programs and special education teachers in Oregon — a state where 60% of third graders can’t read at grade level — could be jeopardized by a Republican walkout that has stalled hundreds of bills and derailed the Legislature for nearly six weeks.The standoff over a bill that would expand access to abortion and gender-affirming health care could scuttle much-needed education funding in a year when the stars seemed to align for Oregon’s budget. Tax revenues have exceeded state economists’ projections, allowing lawmakers to approve a record K-12 budget of $10.2 billion. But the education spending legislation needs a vote from the Senate, which hasn’t been able to conduct business since May 3 because of the GOP boycott, and time is running out, with just two weeks left until the legislative session ends.“Supporting strong schools and improving student outcomes should be enough to make anyone show up for work,” De...

S&P/TSX composite ekes out gain despite oil below US$70 a barrel, U.S. stocks higher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index eked out a small gain Wednesday despite losses in the energy sector as oil fell below US$70 a barrel, while U.S. markets rose as investors anticipate the upcoming central bank interest rate decision. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 29.25 points at 19,921.31, with the energy index down 2.3 per cent. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 189.55 points at 34,066.33.The S&P 500 index was up 40.07 points at 4,338.93, while the Nasdaq composite was up 202.78 points at 13,461.92.Markets are in wait-and-see mode ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday rate announcement, said Ashish Utarid, assistant vice-president of investment strategy at IG Wealth Management. Another hike of a quarter percentage point isn’t out of the question, he said, but neither is a pause. “It’s almost 50-50 whether they’re going to raise or pause,” said Utarid.  But investors are almost equally awaiting the latest U.S. inflation data Tuesday, whi...

The Athletic cuts nearly 20 jobs, 4% of newsroom for New York Times-owned sports site

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Athletic, a subscription sports outlet owned by The New York Times, is laying off about 4% of its newsroom staff as part of reorganization efforts, the company confirmed on Monday.The job cuts will impact nearly 20 journalists of The Athletic’s 450-person newsroom. In addition to the layoffs, more than 20 additional reporters from the San Francisco-based outlet will be moved to new assignments, The New York Times reported.The New York Times Co. bought The Athletic for $550 million in January 2022, marking one of the news company’s largest-ever acquisitions. In a Monday statement to The Associated Press, New York Times Co. executive director of communications Jordan Cohen noted that the company had reorganized the sports site “to cover the most compelling stories that matter to fans across all the teams in a given league daily.”“As part of the reorganization, we made the difficult decision to eliminate a limited number (4%) of newsroom roles,” ...

Maine considers ranked choice voting for governor races

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine is advancing a proposal that would make it the second state to elect its governor using ranked choice voting, and it is expected for a vote in the state Legislature in the coming weeks after receiving a key committee approval.Maine and Alaska both use the ranked voting format for congressional and presidential elections, and cities in many other states are embracing it for mayoral and other elections. Alaska uses a version of it for governor.Proponents of ranked voting say it prevents “spoiler” candidates and promotes cooperation, civility and political moderates.In Maine, proponents have long pushed for the format to be used in governor and state legislative races, but that would require an amendment to the Maine Constitution.The Maine Legislature’s legal affairs committee approved a proposal in May to do that. The next step is for a vote by the full Legislature, with two-thirds majority approval to pass, which is currently in session and could en...

Mexico’s top diplomat resigns to enter primary race for 2024 presidential election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s top diplomat resigned his post Monday to enter the primary race for the country’s 2024 presidential election, and Mexico City’s mayor said she would resign Friday to do the same.Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said he resigned at noon and pledged to start a nationwide campaign tour. Both Ebrard and Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum belong to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Morena party, which will use polling to choose among four presidential contenders. The two other hopefuls — Sen. Ricardo Monreal and Interior Secretary Adán López, who is not related to the president — are expected to resign or ask for leaves by the Friday deadline set by the Morena party. That is meant to prevent primary candidates from using their posts to gain an unfair advantage. Each can campaign throughout the summer.Morena has come to dominate Mexican politics since López Obrador was elected in 2018. But the president cannot run for re-election and has ...

No concerns raised at time of Beijing-linked donation: former Trudeau Foundation head

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

OTTAWA — The former head of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, Morris Rosenberg, says concerns were never raised to him about a large donation to the charity from two Chinese businessmen connected to Beijing.His successor Pascale Fournier told a parliamentary committee that people connected to the donors were communicating with foundation employees about omitting information on a tax receipt related to the $140,000 gift from billionaire Zhang Bin and another man. Rosenberg, who was in charge at the time, said he was unaware of such emails and trusted his employees to properly administer donations, adding that the issue was not raised in the foundation’s own audits or by the Canada Revenue Agency.“I don’t recall there ever being a red flag about that,” he said.Rosenberg, a former public servant who also authored a report on Canada’s handling of foreign interference in the 2021 election, was speaking to a parliamentary committee Monday.He said he beli...

NASCAR's Chicago race will feature a partnership with Special Olympics Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

CHICAGO — Less than three weeks before the drivers take to the course, NASCAR is adding another partnership for their upcoming Chicago Street Race. This time, however, it's to help out an organization in the State of Illinois. .@NASCARChicago has announced a partnership with @SpecialOlympics Illinois for the upcoming street race..That organization will be the beneficiary of the event’s 50/50 raffle..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/98LQ7Y9cPJ— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) June 12, 2023NASCAR announced that the event has entered into a multi-year partnership with Special Olympics Illinois as part of the event on July 1 and 2 downtown. There are a few parts of the agreement that will aid the organization, most notably being the beneficiary of the 50/50 raffle that will take place during the Xfinity and Cup Series race. A Guide to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Representatives and athletes will attend the event while the organization will have an advertising presence within the 2.2-mile...

Trump to appear in federal court after classified document indictment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Former President Trump has been indicted on 37 felony counts related to the classified documents investigation and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.Over the weekend, former president and leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addressed the 37 felony charges he's facing -- arguing that the case against him is a political one.“They've launched witch hunt after witch hunt,” Trump said. “They want to do anything they can to thwart the will of the American people. It's called ‘election interference.’”Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another Republican White House hopeful, also questioned the charges against Trump, asking why other politicians like Hillary Clinton didn't face charges for having classified documents.“Is there a different standard for a Democrat secretary of state versus a former Republican president? I think there needs to be one standard of justice in this country,” Gov. DeSantis said.The special counsel leading the case agai...

Garth Brooks speaks about decision to sell Bud Light at his Nashville bar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

(KTLA) – Garth Brooks will not be pulling Bud Light off the beer list at his new Nashville bar, the country star says.In a recent interview at Billboard Country Live, the Brooks revealed his Friends in Low Places & Honky Tonk bar is set to open soon in Nashville's South Broadway District. “I know this sounds corny,” he told the crowd, “I want it to be the Chick-fil-A of honky-tonks … I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another."When it comes to the beers on tap, they'll all be there. Even Bud Light. "Yes, we’re going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you’re an a--hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway," he said of the decision. Brooks' comments come as Bud Light and Anheuser Busch have faced controversy over their decision to partner with transgender influencer Dy...

One dead after tour boat capsizes inside New York cave

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:52 GMT

LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A man is dead after a tour boat capsized Monday while inside New York's Lockport Cave, according to local police.There were 28 adults and an employee aboard the boat when it became unbalanced and capsized around 11:20 a.m. Monday, officials said during a press conference. “The boat did a 180-degree turn, so the bottom of the boat was upright in the water,” Lockport Fire Chief Luca Quagliano said at a news conference. “A number of victims were on top of that boat initially when rescuers got to them."Authorities have not yet identified the man who was killed, but say they believe he became trapped under the boat. His wife, who was also aboard the boat, has been hospitalized. In total, 11 people were taken to hospitals with what officials called relatively minor injuries. Patricia Brandt, a spokeswoman for Eastern Niagara Hospital, said eight passengers were in the ER but none had critical injuries. "They're all stable and some have already been released,” she ...