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Australian leader plans meeting with Biden after India trip

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday he plans to meet with President Joe Biden in the United States following a trip to India this week, amid speculation the leaders will make an announcement about Australia’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines.Albanese gave few details of the U.S. trip, saying there would be further announcements about the arrangements. Albanese is visiting India through Saturday. U.K. officials said Wednesday that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet with Biden and Albanese in San Diego on Monday for talks on Australia’s procurement of nuclear submarines under the AUKUS defense agreement among the three nations. The White House confirmed the meetings in a statement released later Wednesday.The previous Australian government infuriated France in 2021 by canceling a $66 billion contract for a French-built fleet of conventionally powered submarines and opting instead for nuclear-powered versions in a ...

U.S. gets warrant to seize Russian company’s Boeing 737

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal court in New York authorized the seizure of a $25 million Boeing 737 owned by a Russian energy company, citing U.S. sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine, U.S. authorities said Wednesday. The aircraft is owned by PJSC Rosneft Oil Co., headquartered in Moscow and led by sanctioned oligarch Igor Ivanovich Sechin.The court found probable cause that the aircraft, which has not been in the U.S. since 2014, could be seized by the U.S. based on violations of the Export Control Reform Act. “Today’s enforcement action demonstrates there is a price to pay for Russian companies and oligarchs that flagrantly evade sanctions that the United States has imposed in response to the unjustified war against the people of the Ukraine,” Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said in a news release.Rosneft Oil did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.The action is part of a continuing effort to diminish Russian wealth after its invas...

Will China’s next premier be a moderating influence on Xi?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — The pro-business track record of the man poised to become China’s top economic official will make his term a test of whether he might moderate President Xi Jinping ’s tendency to intervene.Li Qiang, 63, who is expected to be chosen China’s premier on Saturday, will have to grapple with a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy, which is dealing with emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, weak global demand for exports, lingering U.S. tariff hikes, a shrinking workforce and an aging population.Xi, who has bolstered the state sector, has said that he wants the ruling party to return to its “original mission” as China’s economic, social and cultural leader. That has been accompanied by tighter control over some industries, more aggressive censorship of TV and pop culture and the spread of a “social credit” system that penalizes the public for offenses ranging from fraud to littering. Xi took China’s most powerful role in 2012. Now, observers are watching whether L...

Vallas, Johnson debate for first time before runoff election

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

CHICAGO — Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson faced off in their first head-to-head televised debate before the runoff election.Johnson and Valas clashed on public safety and the budget. Vallas, Johnson campaign for allies ahead of first mayoral runoff debate First, Johnson went after Vallas' tenure as the city's budget director under mayor Daley, accusing him of implementing policies that triggered property tax hikes."We're in this predicament because of the bad accounting measures of Mr. Vallas," Johnson said. "The truth of the matter is he has not put forth a budget plan because when he put forth a budget plan four years ago, he came in ninth place.""When I was budget director," Vallas said, "I actually passed budgets and put 13,500 police officers on the streets without raising property taxes once. Johnson went on the offense after taking heat during the campaign for his $1 billion investment plan paid for by various new taxes. On public safety, the candidates articulated their p...

Instagram users report issues accessing app

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Instagram users trying to check their feeds Wednesday night were met with an unfortunate message - their feeds weren't updating. Users began reporting Instagram being down at around 8 p.m. CT Wednesday. According to Downdetector.com, an outage tracking website, more than 46,000 people reported issues accessing the social media platform. Around 9 p.m. CT, a second spike of Instagram outages was being reported on Downdetector, which collects status information for dozens of sites through user-submitted reports, social media discussion, and "other key indicators." What do the orange, green dots on my iPhone mean? The majority of reported problems were being seen on the Instagram app rather than on the desktop version. Many said they weren't able to see stories at the top of the screen and their feed wouldn't refresh.As of 9:45 p.m. CT, outage reports on Downdetector were declining. It's unclear what exactly caused the outage. Meta, Instagram's parent company, didn't immed...

How to use APD's new online crime reporting system

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department (APD) said its new online reporting systems should ultimately allow officers to answer non-emergency reports more quickly.The system is for non-emergency crimes that include, but are not limited to, burglaries, minor assaults, theft and harassment. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. APD launches new AI non-emergency reporting system, says program will reduce wait times The new system uses Artificial Intelligence, or AI, to generate the report. You still go to iReportAustin.com, but instead of filling out an online form like you would in the past - after you put your address and contact information in on the home page - you chat with an AI bot to submit your report.You answer a series of questions about the type of crime, which the AI uses to create the report.In the video below, Lt. Sheldon Askew provides a demonstration of how to use the system. "This will dramatically decrease the period of time ...

Temperatures in flux through Friday with a chance of strong storms Thursday night

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A cold front has been slowly moving through Central Texas and dropping temperatures for some of our northern communities into the 50s and 60s, while keeping areas south of the front in the 70s and 80s. Austin briefly hit the low 80s, but cooler temperatures arriving as we head into the evening.Overnight lows should drop into the upper 50s to lower 60s before warmer air makes a return. NEW BLOG: Spring forecast: Will our wet season fix the drought? This front will make its way back north as a warm front during the day Friday allowing temperatures to jump higher into the 80s, before coming back as a cold front Thursday evening through Friday morning.Along and ahead of the front, scattered rain and storms are possible. Not everyone will get wet, but those that do could get some locally heavy rainfall.A low severe weather risk has been introduced for parts of our northern-most counties as some of the Thursday evening storms could pack a punch.Severe weather risk on Th...

Wild beat Jets 4-2, extend points streak to 11 games

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Marc-Andre Fleury made 46 saves and the Minnesota Wild extended their points streak to 11 games with a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.The Wild are 9-0-2 in their last 11 games. Fleury has victories in his last four starts.Marcus Foligno had a goal and assist, and Frederick Gaudreau, Ryan Hartman and Mason Shaw also scored for the Wild (37-21-7). Oskar Sundqvist and Jake Middleton each had two assists.Logan Stanley and Nino Niederreiter scored for the Jets (36-26-3), who are 2-7-2 in their last 11 games. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots.The victory moves the Wild into a tie with the idle Dallas Stars atop the Central Division. The Jets remain fourth in the division and hold the second Western Conference wild-card spot, three points behind the idle Edmonton Oilers and four points ahead of idle Calgary.Minnesota was coming off a 1-0 shootout loss Tuesday night at home against the Calgary Flames, and it showed early.The Wild didn’t get their...

State boys hockey: Slowed early by St. Cloud Cathedral, Warroad breaks out in third period

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

If the top-seeded Warroad Warriors were looking for a routine start to the 2023 Class A boys hockey tournament Wednesday, they didn’t get it.At least for the first 34 minutes.Unseeded St. Cloud Cathedral collapsed defensively to slow the high-powered Warroad attack for two periods and took its chances offensively before the Warriors rallied in the third for a 5-1 win in the third Class A quarterfinal of the day.Junior goalie Nick Hansen made 38 stops in the Cathedral net, but two power-play goals from Carson Pilgrim and third-period insurance tallies from Jayson Shaugabay and Murray Marvin-Cordes were enough for a Warriors win.Since the beginning of the two-class era in 1992, Warroad is 14-1 in the quarterfinals. The lone loss was a 2-1 overtime loss to Orono in 2004.That defeat — and a 4-3 win over Hermantown in 1994 — is one of only two Warroad quarterfinals since 1992 decided by one goal. The Warriors are 7-0 in quarterfinals since winning their last state title in 2005, ou...

YWCA of NorthEastern NY hosts third annual art show

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:49:49 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.(NEWS10) - The YWCA of NorthEastern New York hosting their annual art exhibit, the Inspiring Women Project, to celebrate and empower women. Over 50 people attended the YWCA’s art show to a fan fair of applause. Great Barrington Airport future in question It’s the third year the YWCA in Schenectady is showing off the talent from over 35 local artists in honoring Women’s History Month at a reception that kicked off Wednesday night.There was food and champagne for guests to enjoy as they perused the works of art. Organizer, Administrative Coordinator Danielle Schimpf, explaining this year’s theme that will benefit art therapy programs at the YWCA.“The theme tonight is the inspiring women project. So, it's really just about inspiring and empowering,” said Schimpf. Troy convenience store arrests: neighboring businesses react The YWCA is hoping to bring awareness to the violence that women face all year long.“Even though it's Women's History Month this is important wo...