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Biden nominates a top adviser on Asia to be the State Department’s No. 2 diplomat

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is nominating a top adviser on Asia to serve as the State Department’s second-ranking diplomat, the White House said Wednesday, elevating one of the architects of the administration’s efforts to develop a more Asia-focused foreign policy.Kurt Campbell currently is deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council. He has played an important role in helping Biden reinvigorate the diplomatic grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, and has helped to ease historic tensions between South Korea and Japan and shape America’s approach to China.If confirmed, he would replace Wendy Sherman, who retired in July, as deputy secretary of state.“Kurt is a tremendous asset,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement. “His passion and commitment to our alliances and partnerships is unquestionably strengthening America’s strategic position ...

Ozone hole is about average size, despite undersea volcano eruption that was expected to worsen it

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

With last year’s undersea volcano injecting massive amounts of water high into the atmosphere, scientists were bracing for a big Antarctica ozone hole this fall. But it didn’t happen.Instead this year’s ozone hole was about average size for the last 20 years, even a bit smaller than 2022’s, according to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.From September to mid October, the ozone hole this year averaged 8.9 million square miles (23.1 million square kilometers), which is the 16th largest since satellites started tracking in 1979. It peaked this year at 10 million square miles (26 million square kilometers), about the size of North America.When ozone, three joined oxygen atoms, is 5 to 30 miles high (8 to 50 kilometers) in the atmosphere it protects Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet rays that could cause skin cancer, cataracts and even could sterilize crops. Because of chemicals in aerosol sprays and refrigerants that produce chemicals that munch ozone, Ea...

House weighs censure efforts against Rashida Tlaib and Marjorie Taylor Greene over their rhetoric

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected on Wednesday to consider resolutions that would punish two of its most polarizing members, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, in a partisan tit-for-tat over inflammatory rhetoric. The resolutions would deliver the punishment of censure, one step below expulsion from the House, to both lawmakers. Votes on the measures will be among the House’s first acts of business after a nearly monthlong gridlock caused by the removal of Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California as speaker. It’s unclear whether the resolutions will pass. The votes reflect the growing divisiveness of the House, where severe forms of punishment that had long been viewed as an option of last resort, to be triggered only for the most egregious wrongdoing, are quickly becoming routine, often wielded in strikingly partisan ways. While the censure itself carries no practical effect, it leaves a historic fo...

WATCH LIVE: Powell addresses latest Federal Reserve interest rate decision

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to address the media on today's interest rate decision at 2:30 p.m. ET. Those remarks will be livestreamed within this story.WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time in nearly two years, the Federal Reserve is set Wednesday to keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged for a second straight policy meeting — the clearest sign to date that the Fed is edging closer to the end of its rate-hiking campaign.The Fed is standing pat, for now, in part because the economy has been moving mostly in the direction that Chair Jerome Powell has hoped for: Inflation has tumbled, even though hiring, consumer spending and economic growth have remained robust. A widely predicted recession hasn't materialized.But the deceleration of inflation has slowed, and solid economic growth could keep inflation elevated or even send it higher. As a result, Powell and other Fed officials aren't yet willing to take a final rate hike off the table. At a new confere...

Infant mortality rate rises for first time in 20 years: CDC

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

(The Hill) — The infant mortality rate in the U.S. rose for the first time in 20 years last year, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with significant increases observed in two of the top causes of death.Between 2021 and 2022, infant deaths in the U.S. rose by 3% or 5.60 fatalities per 1,000 live births. The mortality rate for newborns also increased by 3% while the mortality rate for non-newborn infants rose by 4%. The CDC noted this goes against a nearly 20-year trend."The infant mortality rate for the United States rose 3% from 2021 to 2022, the first year-to-year increase in the rate since 2001 to 2002," the agency's report stated. "From 2002 to 2021, the infant mortality rate declined 22%."The mortality rate among infants born to American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanic and White non-Hispanic mothers rose significantly more than the overall change, the CDC noted in its report. The changes in mortality rates observed among i...

Ups, downs and debuts are part of the start of the Blackhawks' season

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

CHICAGO — With a difficult schedule to begin the season, including two match-ups with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights, there figured to be some rough patches for the Blackhawks. That has been the case as the team has gone 3-6 through the first nine games of the season. There have been some forgettable games, like the 8-1 loss to the Coyotes on the road Monday night, but there was the win in Vegas that's a highlight for the young group. Meanwhile, fans have gotten the chance to see the highly-touted Connor Bedard for the first time as the No. 1 overall pick has already had a few memorable moments on the ice. Kevin Korchinsky, the team's first selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, is also making his debut, and it looks like he'll be around for the rest of the 2023-2024 season.But it's not just those players who've gotten the chance to develop as a number of other younger players and veterans are finding their way on Luke Richardson's team. Jack Bushman of Locked On Blackha...

Skip the tip? Your delivery could be slowed, DoorDash warns

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

(WGN) — Sure, it can be tempting to skip the tip on your food delivery order, especially after seeing the delivery fees add up at checkout. But failing to pre-tip on DoorDash may now have consequences: a slower delivery. Users of the food-delivery app have noticed a new pop-up message that appears during checkout, warning that orders placed with no pre-tip might take longer to get delivered."Dashers can pick and choose which orders they want to do," the notice reads. "Orders that take longer to be accepted by dashers tend to result in slower delivery." Have you been tipping wrong at restaurants? What experts advise DoorDash said they added the prompt in an effort to be transparent with users and give them the best experience possible. They also said that they want to encourage users to leave tips for the drivers."This reminder screen is something that we're currently testing," DoorDash spokesperson Jenn Rosenberg told Nexstar. "As with anything we pilot, we look forward to closely...

1 dead in Kentucky coal preparation plant collapse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

MARTIN COUNTY, Ky. (WOWK) -- One person has died inside a collapsed coal preparation plant in Martin County, Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed Wednesday.The 11-story building at Martin Mine Prep Plant in Martin County collapsed around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, trapping two men working there beneath multiple floors of concrete and steel. The workers were trapped while working to demolish the building at the abandoned mine site on Wolf Creek, Martin County Judge Executive Lon E. Lafferty said in a social media post early Wednesday.The plant hasn’t been in use for several years and the men were on the bottom floor when it collapsed, trapping them beneath tons of rubble, added Martin County Sheriff John Kirk.Officials have not released details about the extent of the surviving worker's injuries. The rescue could take days, Kirk said.“This is a lot of weight. A lot of large metal structures, a lot of concrete, and very confined space last. Very tight spaces,” he said.Beshear declared a stat...

TxDOT: Crash at I-35, McNeil Road closes all southbound lanes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Transportation reported a traffic alert that closed several lanes of Interstate 35 following a crash in Round Rock.TxDOT said the crash occurred near southbound Interstate 35 at McNeil Road, just before the Hesters Crossing exit.The Round Rock Police Department said officers were responding to the collision, but there were no injuries."The three left lanes of traffic are closed," RRPD said. "Please expect delays and seek alternate routes."This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN for updates.

Gov. Abbott projects confidence ESAs will pass this session

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:00:47 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Gov. Abbott said Wednesday he expects the House will pass legislation this session to establish education savings accounts, increase public school funding, and give teachers a bonus, signaling confidence that the ten-month impasse over his top priority will end by next week."We are on track to ensure there will not be another special session. There is enough time to get everything done that we want to get done, that needs to get done to avoid a special session," Gov. Abbott told reporters Wednesday morning. "I think that we are on a timetable where we should be able to conclude everything that needs to be achieved this special session."Gov. Abbott said he expects the House will unveil a new bill to address those educational priorities on Wednesday, which he thinks "will be embraced.""So many legislators have so many wins in the bill that will be coming out today," he said.On Tuesday, House Public Education Chairman Brad Buckley said he intends to file a substitut...