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GOP’s Jim Jordan tries again to become House speaker, while his detractors consider options

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

By LISA MASCARO, FARNOUSH AMIRI and STEPHEN GROVES (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Having lost the first vote to become House speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan will try again Wednesday on a decisive second ballot that will test whether the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump can win over detractors or if his bid for the gavel is collapsing.The House gaveled in with angry, frustrated GOP lawmakers looking at other options. Ahead of the morning vote, Jordan made an unexpected plea for party unity, the combative Judiciary Committee chairman telling his colleagues on social media, “We must stop attacking each other and come together.”A surprisingly large and politically diverse group of 20 Republicans had rejected Jordan’s nomination the day before, many resenting the hardball tactics seeking to enforce support, and viewing the Ohio congressman as too extreme for the powerful position of House speaker, second in line to the presidency.Some predicted the number of disse...

Bomb threat prompts 'remote learning day' for students at Lincoln Acres School

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. -- A bomb threat directed towards Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City prompted the school district to cancel in-person classes Wednesday. In a letter sent out to parents on Friday, Oct. 13, Superintendent Leighangela Brady explained that precautionary measures would be taken to protect the safety of students and staff.The threat, which was directed towards the school for the date of Wednesday, Oct. 18, is currently under investigation by the National City Police Department (NCPD). Body found as crews respond to vegetation fire off Interstate 5 Brady says the school district decided to hold a "remote learning day" out a abundance of caution. Law enforcement is expected to sweep the school campus Wednesday to make sure it is secure ahead of classes Thursday. "Please be assured that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and we are taking all necessary precaution to safeguard their well-being," Brady stated. "We greatly apprec...

Former Austrian Chancellor Kurz stands trial for allegedly making false statements to an inquiry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

VIENNA (AP) — Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz went on trial Wednesday on a charge of having made false statements to a parliamentary inquiry into alleged corruption in his first government.Once a rising star among conservatives in Europe, Kurz resigned in 2021 amid a separate corruption probe and has since left politics. Kurz, who denies the charge, could face up to three years in prison if convicted. The case, which opened in Vienna’s criminal court, centers on his testimony to an inquiry that focused on the coalition he led from 2017, when his conservative People’s Party formed a government with the far-right Freedom Party, until its collapse in 2019. Prosecutors accuse Kurz of having given false evidence in June 2020 regarding his role in the setting up of a holding company, OeBAG, which administers the state’s role in some companies, and the appointment of his former close confidant Thomas Schmid to its leadership.In their indictment, which wasn’t released ...

Criminal trial of ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers rewinds to discuss start of protest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

OTTAWA — A police liaison officer who communicated with “Freedom Convoy” organizers says she was working with organizers of several convoys before the protest rolled into the capital last year.Const. Isabelle Cyr had begun her testimony on the second day of the trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber in September, but the cross-examination was halted after the defence requested a copy of police chat messages and emails.She is on the stand again today, and says she was the police point-person for another organizer associated with Lich and Barber’s group. She says the organizer told her that truckers with their group were expected to register in order to receive funds, and that they had to sign a code of conduct, though she never saw a copy of it. About a week before the convoy arrived in Ottawa, Cyr says she was told at a police intelligence meeting that there was some concern that various additional groups had joined the cause, and that the crowds could be difficult ...

RFK Jr. spent years stoking fear and mistrust of vaccines. Here’s who gets hurt by Kennedy’s work

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

When 12-year-old Braden Fahey collapsed during football practice and died, it was just the beginning of his parents’ nightmare.Deep in their grief a few months later, Gina and Padrig Fahey received news that shocked them to their core: A favorite photo of their beloved son was plastered on the cover of a book that falsely argues COVID-19 vaccines caused a spike of sudden deaths among healthy young people.The book, called “Cause Unknown,” was co-published by an anti-vaccine group led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President John F. Kennedy’s nephew, who is now running for president. Kennedy wrote the foreword and promoted the book, tweeting that it details data showing “ COVID shots are a crime against humanity.”The Faheys couldn’t understand how Braden’s face appeared on the book’s cover, or why his name appeared inside it. Braden never received the vaccine. His death in August 2022 was due to a malformed blood vessel in his brain. No one ever contacted them to ask about their son’s deat...

MNP consumer debt index improves, but consumer outlook worsens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

CALGARY — A report by insolvency firm MNP Ltd. says its consumer debt index improved slightly in its latest quarter as Canadians felt marginally better about their ability to pay their debts. The quarterly index rose to 86 points, up from 83 points in July.However, the report noted that when asked to look into the future, Canadians’ debt outlook worsened.The report says 18 per cent said they believe their debt situation will be worse a year from now, up from 15 per cent in the previous quarter. Looking five years out, 16 per cent said they believed their debt situation will be worse, up from 14 per cent.Meanwhile, the report said 51 per cent of Canadians reported that they were $200 away or less from not being able to meet all their financial obligations, down from 52 per cent in the July report.It also said 31 per cent of those questioned said they already don’t make enough to cover their bills and debt payments, down from 35 per cent in the previous report.This report by The...

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice fights order to appear in court over impeachment advice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice is fighting a subpoena ordering her to appear in court in a lawsuit related to advice she gave about possible impeachment of a current liberal justice, calling it “unreasonable and oppressive.”Republican lawmakers have threatened possible impeachment of current Justice Janet Protasiewicz related to comments she made during the campaign calling GOP-drawn legislative maps “rigged” and “unfair.” She joined with the liberal majority of the court in agreeing to hear a lawsuit supported by Democrats that seeks to overturn the GOP maps and enact new ones.Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos asked three former conservative Supreme Court justices for advice on impeachment. Two of the three told him that impeaching Protasiewicz was not warranted. The third, former Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, has not said what her advice was and Vos has repeatedly refused to disclose it.The liberal watchdog group American Oversight...

National Business Book Award finalists include top Bay Street names, ex-BoC governor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

TORONTO — The former governor of the Bank of Canada and several top Bay Street names are among the three finalists for the National Business Book Award 2023.Stephen Poloz, who served as a governor of the central bank from 2013 to 2020, has been nominated for a book called “The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future,” which talks about how the Bank of Canada works and why it does what it does.A compilation of first-person essays on leadership during the pandemic also garnered a position among the finalists. The book, “Unprecedented — Canada’s Top CEOs on Leadership During COVID-19,” was edited by Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Willis and Greenhill Canada investment banker Steve Mayer. A memoir by Wes Hall, who is the founder of BlackNorth Initiative, is also among the top three contenders for the prize. The winner of the annual literary award, which is scheduled to be announced on Nov. 8, will receive a $30,000 prize for Ca...

Biden’s pick to be ambassador to Israel tells senators he’ll ensure the US ally ‘has what it needs’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s nominee to be ambassador to Israel told senators Wednesday that he would “ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself” and would work with the U.S. ally to end the attacks by Hamas if he were confirmed. Jacob Lew, a treasury secretary under President Barack Obama, promised to coordinate with the international community and address the humanitarian crisis facing civilians in Gaza amid Israeli military strikes. His hearing came as Biden visited Israel to reinforce U.S. support and try to ease tensions in the latest war with Hamas. “At this moment, there is no greater mission than to be asked to strengthen the ties between the United States and the State of Israel and to work toward peace in a region that has known so much war and destruction,” Lew said in his opening statement. The Senate is moving quickly to confirm Lew, who was nominated by Biden last month after Tom Nides left as ambassador in July. Democrats say Lew’s wealth of go...

To speed up boarding, United Airlines starts seating passengers with window seats first in economy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:01:08 GMT

United Airlines says that it will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first starting next week, a move that will speed up boarding times for flights.The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on Oct. 26. The plan, known as WILMA, for window, middle and aisle, was tested at four domestic locations and one hub. United said that it’s shown to save up to two minutes of boarding time. The change will begin with passengers in Group 4. Those with window seats will board first, followed by those with middle seats and then those with aisle seats. United said that multiple customers on the same economy reservation, such as families, will be allowed to board their flight together. The plan will be implemented on domestic flights and some international flights. Individuals in first class and business class will see no change in their boarding process. There’s also no change for the pre-boarding group that includes travelers with disabilit...