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UN chief calls for an “ambition supernova” as nations make minor progress on climate action

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

Countries’ climate action plans are still far behind what’s needed to curb human-caused warming and limit the devastating effects of extreme heat, storms and droughts, but some nations have taken marginal steps toward slashing emissions, a United Nations analysis of national plans found Tuesday.The report looked into the climate plans of 195 countries and found that emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas will go up 9% by 2030 compared to 2010 levels, but will be 2% lower than 2019 levels because of some climate action from countries switching to cleaner energy. But climate scientists warn that the world needs to spew around 45% less by then.“The world is failing to get a grip on the climate crisis,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. “Inch by inch progress will not do. It is time for a climate ambition supernova in every country, city, and sector.” He called for “net-zero” — when countries only spew as much carbon into the atmosphere as t...

Pomp and procedure: Installation ceremony set for new Ontario lieutenant-governor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

Ontario’s new lieutenant-governor is set to officially begin her new position today, with an installation ceremony full of pomp and procedure.Edith Dumont will become the province’s 30th lieutenant-governor and the first francophone to hold the office.Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell will end her term, which began in 2014 and during which her office said she has conducted about 6,000 engagements in all of Ontario’s 124 ridings.The ceremony today is set to begin with Dumont riding in a carriage to the Ontario legislature and a viceregal salute to the outgoing lieutenant-governor.The official party is then set to go into the legislative chamber, where certain constitutional requirements will be fulfilled, such as the oath of office and oath of allegiance to King Charles, and surrendering the Great Seal of Ontario to the new lieutenant-governor.Following the ceremony, Dumont is set to inspect a guard of honour and a band will play both “God Save the King” and...

Prince's ruffled 'Purple Rain' shirt, other wardrobe items hit the auction block

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Fans of Prince, who was known nearly as much for his extravagant wardrobe as for his chart-topping hits, will have a chance to bid on some of the late musician's sartorial splendor in an online auction this week.The collection, including more than 200 lots up for sale, was assembled by a French collector who initially hoped to open a museum celebrating the musician but later scrapped the plan, according to RR Auction of Boston, which is overseeing the sale.The collector had reached out to individuals who worked closely with Prince to gather the items, believing that the trendsetting artist, who died in 2016, was not only a musical virtuoso but also a fashion icon, according to the auction house.One of the highlights of the auction is a white ruffled shirt worn by Prince during his 1985 American Music Awards performance of the song “Purple Rain.”FILE - Prince performs at the Forum, Feb. 18, 1985, in Inglewood, Calif. Fans of Prince, who was known nearly as much for his ...

Baby boomers are dominating the housing market, new data shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

(The Hill) - The share of first-time buyers in the housing market ticked upward this year, but remained near record lows, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR).First-time home buyers made up 32 percent of the market this year, up from 26 percent in 2022 but below an average of 38 percent, the report found.“First-time buyers tiptoed back into the market this year with less competition and fewer multiple-offer scenarios,” Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief economist and vice president of research, said in a statement.The typical age of both first-time and repeat home buyers also fell slightly in 2023, dropping from 36 years to 35 years for those purchasing their first homes and from 59 years to 58 years for those who have previously purchased homes.While both the average first-time home buyer and average repeat home buyer have gotten older over the last four decades, this change has been more prominent among repeat home buyers.In the early 1980s, fir...

Photos: John Oliver's campaign for puking mullet bird delays New Zealand vote

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Vote checkers in New Zealand have been so overwhelmed by foreign interference that they've been forced to delay announcing a winner.This 2022 photo supplied by the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society shows puteketeke at Lake Ellesmere, south of Christchurch in New Zealand. Vote count for New Zealand's Bird of the Century has been delayed by comedian John Oliver's global campaign, as he discovered a loophole in the rules, which allowed anybody with a valid email address to cast a vote. So he went all-out in a humorous campaign for his favored bird, the puteketeke, a water bird, on his HBO show "Last Week Tonight." (Peter Foulds/Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society via AP)This 2022 photo supplied by the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society shows a puteketeke and its chick at Lake Ellesmere, south of Christchurch, New Zealand. Vote count for New Zealand's Bird of the Century has been delayed by comedian John Oliver's global campaign, as he di...

5 things to know this Tuesday, November 14

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Tuesday! According to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, rain and showers will be on their way out this morning. The chill won't leave as quickly, however, as the pre-winter coolness will stick around for another day. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Amtrak announced on November 12 that service between New York City and Albany has been temporarily suspended. The service disruption is due to safety concerns caused by structure issues with a privately owned, non-Amtrak building above the Empire Line tracks in New York City. Meanwhile, the Albany Police Department has identified the 31-year-old woman who died in the area of 2nd Street and Lexington Avenue on Thursday. Police say the death of Latisha McKinney is considered suspicious, and are still investigating the circumstances. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Tuesday morning.1. Amtrak temporarily suspends service betwee...

Ask Amy: Wedding celebration must go to the dogs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

Dear Amy: My daughter will be getting married in a couple of weeks (her second marriage).They were engaged right before COVID and put the wedding on hold.They’ve now decided to go ahead with a small wedding, but the guest list has exponentially increased to about 26 people.She wanted to host it in her house, but her house is very small and she has four dogs who don’t behave.We offered our (much larger) house and said that we would also help with the food and set-up.Our daughter agreed on one condition — that she bring her dogs. She wants to dress them up and have them be a part of her wedding.Her dogs are not well behaved. They are not consistently housebroken.They bark a lot and jump on people.These dogs have never been to our house. We have hardwood floors and new furniture.Who is going to be responsible for them?My daughter said it’s non-negotiable, so she will have it at her place.Related ArticlesAsk Amy | Ask Amy: Friends’ vacations must include “quiet ti...

The Biden administration is slow to act as millions are booted off Medicaid, advocates say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

By AMANDA SEITZ and KENYA HUNTER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Up to 30 million of the poorest Americans could be purged from the Medicaid program, many the result of error-ridden state reviews that poverty experts say the Biden administration is not doing enough to stop. The projections from the health consulting firm Avalere come as states undertake a sweeping reevaluation of the 94 million people enrolled in Medicaid, government’s health insurance for the neediest Americans. A host of problems have surfaced across the country, including hourslong phone wait times in Florida, confusing government forms in Arkansas, and children wrongly dropped from coverage in Texas. “Those people were destined to fail,” said Trevor Hawkins, an attorney for Legal Aid of Arkansas. Hawkins helped hundreds of people navigate their Medicaid eligibility in Arkansas, as state officials worked to “swiftly disenroll” about 420,000 people in six months’ time....

Trade in rare earth elements increases in 2022

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

In 2022, the EU witnessed a significant increase in the import of rare earth elements (REE+). A total of 18 thousand tonnes were imported, a 9% increase from 2021, and 7 thousand tonnes exported, a decrease of 8% compared with the previous year. The value of imports surged to €146 million, marking a 37% rise compared with 2021, while exports reached €142 million, representing a 2% increase over the previous year. Rare earth elements are a group of 17 specialty metals with a high supply risk and significant economic importance, used in various high-tech applications.Source dataset:  Eurostat extractionThe average price for imports was €7.9 per kilogram, marking a 26% increase compared with 2021, while the price of the exports was €20.7 for each kilogram of rare earth elements, an increase of 11%. China: The largest partner for imports of rare earth elementsChina was the largest partner for imports of rare earth elements, accounting for 40% of the total weight of imports, or 7.4 thous...

Bouie: The GOP’s culture war shtick is wearing thin with voters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:29 GMT

The Republican Party has always leaned on culture war issues to win elections, but for the last three years, since Joe Biden won office in 2020, an aggressive and virulent form of culture war demagoguery has been at the center of Republican political strategy.If the results of last week’s elections in Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio tell us anything, however, it’s that this post-Roe form of culture warring is an abject failure, an approach that repels and alienates voters far more than it appeals to or persuades them.To be fair to Republican strategists, there was a moment, in autumn 2021, when it looked like the plan was working. Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for governor in Virginia, ran on a campaign of “parents’ rights” against “critical race theory” and won a narrow victory against Terry McAuliffe, a former Democratic governor, sweeping Republicans into power statewide for the first time since 2009. Youngkin shot to national prominence, and Republicans made immediate plans...