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In U.S., Canada’s ‘game plan’ for Trump all about stepping up the tempo of talks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

WASHINGTON — Canada’s ambassador to Washington typically doesn’t get a whole lot of notice before the president of the United States makes a decision with the potential to reverberate beyond the country’s borders. But when President Joe Biden signed a measure to better ensure U.S. companies and workers reap the lion’s share of the benefits of American research and development, Kirsten Hillman had known about it for nearly two months.“They wanted to talk about it,” Hillman said — and in particular, make clear that it would have no impact on the “hundreds and hundreds” of bilateral collaborations that routinely happen between the two countries.  “They were the ones who reached out to us, to make sure that we understood that this wasn’t about affecting the way in which those projects take place.”Discussions ensued all through June, including an “explicit assurance” that the order would not inhibit any Canadia...

UN report says the world is way off track to curb global warming, but offers ways to fix that

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

With the world far off track on its 2015 pledge to curb global warming, a new United Nations report central to upcoming climate negotiations details how quickly and deeply energy and financial systems must change to get back on a safer path.“The window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all is rapidly closing,” Friday’s report warned. The globe has to cut its emissions of heat-trapping gases by 43% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels, and 60% by 2035, the report said. To get there, the report said, “the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels is required,” using a phrase international climate negotiators have shied away from before. It also said phasing out the internal combustion engine would be a huge help.And the way money flows — such as investments, subsidies, loans, grants and payments for people and places hurt by warming’s extreme weather — also has to change, the report recommended. It said countries need to stop $450 billion in annual subsidies for...

Prison guard who missed killer’s escape is fired, as hunt for fugitive focuses on botanic garden

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — A prison tower guard has been fired after letting a murderer slip away on his watch in a brazen daytime escape, officials said Friday, as the nine-day-old search pressed on amid southeastern Philadelphia suburbs, farmland and a vast botanical garden.News of the firing came as the searchers’ ranks grew overnight, focusing on the area around Longwood Gardens, where the fugitive inmate has been spotted before.Danelo Souza Cavalcante, 34, escaped while awaiting transfer to state prison on Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police that he’s wanted over a killing in his home country of Brazil.Authorities have described Cavalcante as extremely dangerous. With the search in its second week, nervous residents remain alert for any sign of him. Police believe Cavalcante has been spotted nine times since his escape, most recently on Thursday night, and has man...

Texas AG Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial is about halfway done. This is what happened and what’s next

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The impeachment trial that could remove Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from office over corruption allegations is near the halfway point. The historic proceedings, which continued Friday, began this week with testimony about an extramarital affair and the Republican’s former top aides testifying they felt compelled to report him to the FBI.Paxton, who is accused of bribery and abuse of office, skipped all of the early testimony. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, sat and listened to it all.The articles of impeachment center on allegations that Paxton improperly used the powers of his office to protect Nate Paul, an Austin real estate developer who was indicted this summer on federal charges of making false statements to banks.If convicted by the Texas Senate, where Republicans hold a dominant majority, Paxton would be removed from office and possibly barred from holding any political office in the future.The trial adjourned for the weekend and was set ...

Music Review: The Chemical Brothers’ ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’ is dreamy electronic music

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

“For That Beautiful Feeling,” The Chemical Brothers (Republic Records)Remember, if you can, the ‘90s: When the popularity of rock bands waned and electronic music dominated. By the time techno and acid house had taken dancefloors by storm, The Chemical Brothers were already pioneers of the big beat genre. That spirit continues on the British duo’s 10th studio album, “For That Beautiful Feeling.”Back in the day, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons’ “Hey Girl Hey Boy” and “Galvanize” electrified the airwaves. As EDM ebbed and flowed — to this reporter’s ears, becoming a cultural marker only to gently fade into the foreground as niche, easy listening — The Chemical Brothers’ innovative music never wavered. They continue to find the less obvious beats and harmonies on “For That Beautiful Feeling”; they’ve never lost their “it” factor.The 11-track record is a dreamy otherworldly vibe, reflecting its title to a tee. Recorded in their close-to-the-coast studio in Engla...

Regulator yanks thousands of wells from troubled oil company, transfers for cleanup

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

Alberta’s energy regulator has transferred control of thousands of oil and gas wells and other facilities held by a troubled Calgary company to the group that’s responsible for cleaning up poorly maintained or abandoned sites. In an order issued Wednesday, the regulator told the Orphan Well Association that it would be responsible for the care and operation of more than 3,000 oil and gas wells, 2,700 pipeline segments and 350 facilities owned by AlphaBow Energy.“AlphaBow and any contractors of AlphaBow are not permitted to take any actions at the licences and the sites without first obtaining the approval from the (Orphan Well Association),” said the letter to association president Lars DePauw.The Alberta Energy Regulator’s documents state AlphaBow’s entire environmental liability is $154 million. The regulator has told the association to suspend AlphaBow’s wells, meaning surface structures must be safely locked and the drill hole plugged wi...

Ottawa school bus routes cancelled for thousands of students due to driver shortage

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

OTTAWA — Thousands of Ottawa parents are still scrambling to find a way to get their kids to school after their buses were suddenly cancelled because of a driver shortage.About 7,500 students were affected after the bus service for both the Ottawa public and catholic school boards cancelled 300 routes just before schools opened this week.School started for both boards Sept. 5, and many parents were only informed their kids’ bus was cancelled the week before. Some didn’t even find out until the first day.The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority said the city’s rural west end is among the hardest hit areas after a bus company that was to operate 36 routes pulled out.OSTA’s general manager Vicky Kyriaco said the city’s school bus agency won’t be able to start looking for solutions for another week.“It’s definitely a difficult situation,” said Kyriaco.“The important thing for us right now is making sure that our regular syst...

Parenting advice YouTuber Ruby Franke and business partner to remain jailed on child abuse charges

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

A Utah mother of six who gave parenting advice via a once-popular YouTube channel called “8 Passengers” made her initial court appearance Friday on charges that she and the owner of a relationship counseling business abused and starved her two young children. The proceedings were delayed by about 45 minutes due to technical difficulties after more than 1,300 people sought to log in to watch the virtual hearing, said Tania Mashburn, spokesperson for the Utah State Courts.Ruby Franke, 41, and Jodi Hildebrandt, 54, were charged with six felony counts of aggravated child abuse after their arrests on Aug. 30 at Hildebrandt’s house in the southern Utah city of Ivins. Both appeared before Judge Eric Gentry via video from jail wearing orange striped uniforms and spoke little. Their attorneys waived reading of the charges and the women did not enter pleas.Gentry ordered them to remain jailed without bail and scheduled their next hearings for Sept. 21. Their attorneys — Lamar Winward fo...

‘One Chip Challenge’ product pulled from Canadian shelves after U.S. teen’s death

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is conducting a food safety investigation into the One Chip Challenge. The investigation comes as the manufacturer of the extremely spicy tortilla chip pulls the product from Canadian and U.S. shelves after a teen’s death in Massachusetts.     An autopsy is pending, but the 14-year-old’s parents are blaming the challenge.A spokesperson for Texas-based Paqui says the One Chip Challenge is sold “in very limited distribution in Canada.”Participants in the social media challenge eat the chip containing Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers and then see how long they can go without drinking water or eating other food afterward.Paqui says the product is labelled to warn it is for adults only and not intended for people who have medical conditions, are pregnant, are sensitive to spicy foods or are allergic to the ingredients. The Paqui spokesperson says the company is “deeply saddened” and expresses its condolences to...

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders proposes carve-out of Arkansas public records law during tax cut session

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:53 GMT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday proposed shielding a broad range of records about her administration, travel and security from public release as she called for a special legislative session next week focusing on additional tax cuts.The Republican governor proposed the new exemptions to the state’s Freedom of Information Act as the Arkansas State Police is being sued by an attorney and blogger who’s accused the agency of illegally withholding records about Sanders’ travel and security. FOIA experts said the changes would severely weaken the 1967 law — signed by the state’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction — that protects the public’s access to government meetings and records.Sanders, who took office in January, portrayed the changes as a way to modernize the law and make government more efficient. “Arkansas has some of the most transparent FOIA laws in the country, and these reforms will do nothing to...