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Biden and Sunak hold White House talks on daunting challenges to Ukraine and world economy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

By AAMER MADHANI and SEUNG MIN KIM (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak launched wide-ranging talks at the White House on Thursday by vowing that they would work in lockstep as the globe tries to adapt to a period of rapid economic, political and technological change.The leaders’ Oval Office talks were expected to cover the war in Ukraine, China, economic security, international cooperation on regulating the growing field of artificial intelligence, and more. Biden and Sunak have already had four face-to-face meetings since Sunak became prime minister in October, but the talks in Washington will offer the two leaders a chance for their most sustained interaction to date.“We will put our values front and center,” Biden said.Sunak reflected on the significant conversations that their respective predecessors have had over the years in the Oval Office and acknowledged that both he and Biden were facing the...

Update your beach read: 52 books for summer 2023, with some themes in mind

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

Christopher Borrelli | Chicago Tribune (TNS)Let’s try something new this summer.Rather than burdening yourself with postcard dreams of a beach towel and a book, instead of picturing yourself inside a portrait of lazy mornings with a hammock and a Stephen King, toss out the bougie old summer reading mirage. Has it ever been attainable for more than an hour or two? Replace it — as I do, to the detriment of family, TV and sleep — with a small project. But not a project project. More like a personal dare.Pick a theme for your summer reading and dive into it until Labor Day: Read only books banned in Florida. Or only Nordic noir, or only Asian sci-fi. Alternate novellas with epics. Or stick to novellas. Make a list so long you never finish it, but show up every day for it: Give yourself a minor degree in true crime or octopuses. Spend your summer scaling just the mountain of great Chicago-centric books so far this year — Jonathan Eig’s “King,” Catherine Lacey’s “Biography of X,” Aleksand...

Chollas Creek residents asked to shelter in place amid search for 'armed and dangerous' suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Police are searching for a suspect Thursday in the Chollas Creek area who is considered armed and dangerous.According to the San Diego Police Department, officers are searching for a Hispanic man who is approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 150 pounds. He is bald and was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt.Residents in the Chollas Creek were asked to shelter in place due to the police activity and to call 911 if the suspect is seen.No further information was immediately provided by police.This is a developing story, check back for updates.

No fair days at 'sunny San Diego' airport last month: NWS

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- "May Gray" truly lived up to its name this year in "sunny San Diego."Climate report data collected at San Diego International Airport shows more than half -- 58% -- of days last month were cloudy, according to National Weather Service. Besides those 20 days, the remainder of the month -- 11 days -- were partly cloudy. Partly cloudy refers to 30 to 60% cloud cover.That means there were no fair days, or days with "generally pleasant weather conditions," according to NWS. NOAA outlook: Cooler-than-average June expected for San Diego There was, however, rain on seven days, and fog was recorded on nine days.The average sky cover logged at the airport was 82%, a significant increase from the normal average, which sits around 63%.

Hamilton police officer charged in sexual assault of woman: SIU

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

The province’s police watchdog has charged a Hamilton police officer in the alleged sexual assault of a woman last year.The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said the Hamilton officer committed the criminal offence between February 2022 and April 2022.The Hamilton Police Service notified the SIU of the incident on April 14, 2022, and the province’s police watchdog launched an investigation into the allegations.The SIU said Const. Jeffery Turnbull is facing one count of sexual assault.Const. Turnbull will make a court appearance on July 6, 2023.The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

Ex-adviser to PM says government’s approach to classified intel ‘particularly weak’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

OTTAWA — A former top adviser to the prime minister said Thursday that a memo warning about Beijing’s alleged targeting of Conservative MP Michael Chong was produced after he retired — but he was aware of issues in the way intelligence is handled. Vincent Rigby continues to call for a full review of Canada’s national-security system to respond to ongoing concerns over how authorities are dealing with foreign interference. He made the comments at a meeting of a parliamentary committee investigating allegations that MPs were targeted by foreign interference.His testimony came after the release of watchdog David Johnston’s first report last month, which found serious issues with the way the government handles confidential information.Former public safety minister Bill Blair, who is now the minister of emergency preparedness, blamed the Canadian Security Intelligence Service last week for the fact he did not receive the July 2021 classified memo about Chong.“The ...

Clerk charged with murder at Detroit gas station weeks after similar shooting in city

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — A clerk was charged with murder Thursday in a second recent middle-of-the-night fatal shooting at Detroit gas stations related to disputes with customers.“This simply cannot continue to happen,” Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said.Anthony McNary, 25, was shot through the door after the clerk had kicked him out of the gas station and locked the door Monday, Worthy said.Moments earlier, clerk Moad Al-Gaham had removed a beef stick from McNary’s pocket and then refused to let him pay for it, the prosecutor said.Al-Gaham was in a “place of safety on the other side of a locked glass door and pulled the trigger,” Worthy said, adding that the clerk was in no “immediate danger.”Al-Gaham, 40, was ordered to jail without bond. A message seeking comment was left for his attorney.On May 6, at a different Detroit gas station, a customer fatally shot another customer. A clerk, who was behind security glass, had remotely locked the door during an argument over a fail...

Amended bill that would extend citizenship rights to some born abroad heads to House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

OTTAWA — A committee of MPs approved Citizenship Act changes that allow some born abroad to adopt their Canadian parent’s citizenship Wednesday, despite objections from Conservatives about a lack of due process. In 2009, the Conservative government changed the law to make it so that Canadian parents who were born abroad could not pass down their citizenship unless their child was born in Canada.The NDP has proposed a change that would grant citizenship to the child if the Canadian parent can prove they spent at least three years in Canada.The new rule, which is supported by the Liberals, was tacked onto a Conservative senator’s private member’s bill at the House of Commons immigration committee.Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec called the amendments “vandalism” of the original spirit of the bill, because the changes were so drastic. “That is a concern to me, that this might happen to any one of us with our bills in the future, where the co...

Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

OTTAWA — Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.But there may be some hope on the horizon, after the number of fires burning across the country fell overnight.The fires and the blankets of smoke affecting millions of Canadians prompted a debate in the House of Commons, during which members of Parliament expressed solidarity with the people affected and discuss the role climate change is playing in this year’s more-severe fire season.“Climate change is real and we are seeing and living its impact every day,” Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said during the debate.This, he said, is the worst fire season Canada has ever experienced and it has had devastating consequences.“People have lost everything,” he said.As debate continued over the motion brought forward by the Bloc Québécois, the air outside the Parliament B...

Liberals face growing calls to create LGBTQ envoy, modelled on Biden appointment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:51 GMT

OTTAWA — The Liberals are facing mounting calls to appoint a senior diplomat to advocate for LGBTQ people abroad, including from within their cabinet.“Do we need an envoy? Do we want an envoy? Absolutely,” said Deputy Finance Minister Randy Boissonnault.“And they should be very focused overseas.”The Dignity Network, a coalition of Canadian groups that advocate for gender and sexual minorities abroad, says Ottawa should follow the Biden administration in creating a special envoy who can push for positive change.The woman who holds that role, Jessica Stern, says that if Canada follows suit, the envoy should focus on amplifying the work of grassroots groups in Canada and elsewhere, while speaking with clout from the country’s highest political office.“I have seniority to get things done. I have staff to support my agenda. I have access to the highest levels of the U.S. government,” Stern said in a Wednesday interview during a visit to Ottawa.&#...