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Russian missile strike on Ukrainian market kills 17 as Blinken announces new $1B aid package

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

By SAMYA KULLAB (Associated Press)KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile tore through an outdoor market in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing 17 people and wounding dozens, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the country with more than $1 billion in new American funding for Ukraine, including military and humanitarian aid.Blinken’s fourth visit to the country was overshadowed by the strike in the city of Kostiantynivka, near the front line in the Donetsk region, that turned the marketplace into an inferno. It was one of the deadliest bombardments of civilians in the 18-month-old war. In addition to the dead, at least 32 people were wounded.“Those who know this place are well aware that it is a civilian area,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a news conference with the Danish prime minister in Kyiv. “There aren’t any military units nearby. The strike was deliberate.”White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said...

Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion nationwide

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

By FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ and MEGAN JANETSKY (Associated Press)MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalized abortion nationwide Wednesday, two years after ruling that abortion was not a crime in one northern state.That earlier ruling had set off a grinding process of decriminalizing abortion state by state. Last week, the central state of Aguascalientes became the 12th state to decriminalize the procedure. Judges in states that still criminalize abortion will have to take account of the top court’s ruling.The Supreme Court wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that it had decided that “the legal system that criminalized abortion in the Federal Penal Code is unconstitutional, (because) it violates the human rights of women and people with the ability to gestate.” The court’s sweeping decision Wednesday comes amid a trend in Latin America of loosening restrictions on abortion, even as access has been limited in parts of the U...

Ticker: Moderna touts new COVID vax; EPA delays new ozone rules 

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

Moderna’s updated COVID vaccine appears to generate “a strong human immune response against the highly mutated BA.2.86 variant,” the company said Wednesday, citing new clinical trial data.Data from recent research on the drug maker’s new vaccine booster showed “an 8.7 to 11-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies against circulating variants, including the BA.2.86, EG.5, and FL.1.5.1 variants.”EG.5 currently makes up for nearly 22% of new COVID cases in the U.S., while FL1.5.1 accounts for around 15% of new cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Moderna’s new booster, which is pending approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the fall 2023 vaccination season, appears to be highly effective in protecting people against the new variant, providing an 8.7-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies in humans against it, the company said.EPA delays new ozone rulesThe Environmental Protection Agency is delaying plans to tighten air quality stand...

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu denies talking to Harvard about job offer

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

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu flatly denied speculation that she is considering leaving office for a job at Harvard University.Wu said Wednesday that she has not talked to Harvard brass about a job there, but stopped short of saying there’s no truth to the speculation, when pressed by the reporter who pitched the question at an unrelated press conference.“No, I mean, not that I would share it with you,” Wu said, laughing before adding, “I’m always honest.”A City Hall source told the Herald that the word flying around town is that the mayor was offered a job there, because Harvard brass knew she was considering not finishing out her first term.The speculation is that Wu is waiting until after the election to answer questions about a potential early departure, given how it might impact the weight of her council endorsements with voters, the source said.The chatter comes after she took back-to-back vacations last month, and City Council President Ed Flynn took the opportunity as acting mayo...

Patriots-Eagles injury report: DeVante Parker, Jack Jones among 5 starters limited Wednesday

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

The Patriots released their first injury report of the season Wednesday and listed five starters as limited.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | The Patriots get great news at practice ahead of Sunday’s season opener New England Patriots | Devin McCourty believes Patriots are happy Matt Patricia ‘experiment is over’ New England Patriots | Bill Belichick Patriots to have Jack Jones vs. Eagles, won’t confirm status beyond Week 1 New England Patriots | Callahan: Matt Patricia knows the Patriots better than any ex-coach ever — and they don’t care New England Patriots | Patriots outlook: NFL sources expecting franchise to finish in middle of the pack Wide receiver DeVante Parker, who was visibly limited during the initial media-access portion of practice, has a knee injury, as does left guard Cole Strange. Starting left tackle Trent Brown is battling an illness, while right guard Mike Onwe...

UAW vows strikes if no deal

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

DETROIT — The head of the United Auto Workers warned Wednesday that the union plans to go on strike against any Detroit automaker that hasn’t reached a new agreement by the time contracts expire next week.“That’s the plan,” President Shawn Fain responded when asked if the union would strike any of the companies that haven’t reached a tentative deal by the time their national contracts end.A strike against all three major automakers — General Motors, Stellantis and Ford — could cause damage not only to the industry as a whole but also to the Midwest and even national economy, depending on how long it lasted. The auto industry accounts for about 3% of the nation’s economic output. A prolonged strike could also lead to higher vehicle prices.In an interview,  Fain left open the possibility of avoiding a strike. He acknowledged, more explicitly than he has before, that the union will have to give up some of its demands to reach agreements.Contracts wit...

San Diego International Airport warns travelers about upcoming I-5 closure

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

SAN DIEGO — Flying out of town between Sept. 8 and 11? The San Diego International Airport says you should plan ahead.Airport officials Wednesday reminded travelers of an upcoming project on southbound Interstate 5 that could impact your commute to the airport.The closure will begin on Friday, Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. and run through Monday at 5 a.m. Caltrans will divert traffic onto eastbound I-8, where they can get to the airport by taking southbound State Route 163.You can find a map of the closure and alternate routes below:Closure and detour for the southbound I-5 emergency bridge repair. (Courtesy of Caltrans)For those heading to the airport from service streets that are south of I-8, one lane of southbound I-5 will remain open, but it will only be accessible from on-ramps south of I-8 for limited local and airport traffic, officials said.SAN is urging travelers to plan ahead for possible traffic congestion and delays by allowing yourself more than two hours before your flight depart...

Appalachia meets West Coast: Tyler Childers to perform in San Diego

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

SAN DIEGO -- Singer-songwriter Tyler Childers will bring a mix of country, bluegrass and folk music to San Diego during a stop on his Mule Pull ’24 Tour.Accompanied by his long-time band The Food Stamps, the Eastern Kentucky native will be belting out new renditions and fan favorites at Viejas Arena on Friday, April 5, 2024.Some of Childers' top songs, according to Apple Music, includes tunes like "Feathered Indians," "Whitehouse Road," "Lady May," and "All Your'n." Cirque du Soleil returns to San Diego with seven-show stint After winning Emerging Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Honors & Awards in 2018, Childers received his first Grammy Awards nomination in 2020 for Best Country Solo Performance.More recently, the Appalachia born musician was just presented with Pandora Radio’s Billions Award, signifying more than one billion streams on the service.Childers is set to release his new album, "Rustin’ In The Rain," this Friday, Sept. 8 on Hickman Holler Records/RCA Rec...

Trump White House adviser acted ‘above the law’ in defying Jan. 6 Committee, prosecutors say

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — A White House adviser to President Donald Trump acted as if he were “above the law” when he refused to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, prosecutors argued at his trial Wednesday. Peter Navarro was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress, but his lawyer argued he didn’t ignore the House Jan. 6 Committee. Instead, Navarro told members to contact Trump about what might be protected by executive privilege, the attorney said. A judge has found the privilege argument alone isn’t a defense against the charges because Navarro couldn’t show evidence that the former Republican president had invoked it.Both sides rested after committee staffers testified about sending the subpoena and Navarro’s response. Closing arguments and jury deliberations are expected Thursday. Navarro, a senior trade adviser, was subpoenaed in February 2022 by the House panel investigating how and why a mob of Trum...

Another twist in the Alex Murdaugh double murder case. Did the clerk tamper with the jury?

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

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh’s double murder case has been full of twists and turns: How did a dog crack the case? Where are the bloody clothes and weapons? And where did all the money Murdaugh is accused of stealing go?But one of the biggest surprises came on Tuesday, six months after Murdaugh was convicted of killing his wife and son.Murdaugh’s lawyers filed court papers saying he deserves a new trial because elected Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill allegedly tampered with the jury that found him guilty earlier this year. Prosecutors have 10 days to respond.Here’s a look at what the next chapter of Murdaugh’s case could look like.WHAT IS THE CLERK ACCUSED OF DOING?Murdaugh’s defense attorneys sum it up in a paragraph of the 65-page appeal.“She asked jurors about their opinions about Mr. Murdaugh’s guilt or innocence. She instructed them not to believe evidence presented in Mr. Murdaugh’s defense, including his own testimony. She lied...