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UN summit of world leaders, by the numbers: The longest speech, the language that dominated and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nearly all the world’s on stage, and all the men and but 20 women merely players. That’s what a less-inspired Shakespeare might have written about this year’s U.N. General Assembly meeting of leaders, which concluded Tuesday.Over six days, a cavalcade of world leaders addressed the U.N. General Assembly against a literal backdrop of marbled green and a more figurative one of diplomatic rows, reignited tensions and a litany of world crises.Now, the speeches have been spoken, the right of reply has been duly exercised, and the world’s stage — or at least its spotlight — has been effectively dismantled until next year, although the work of the United Nations continues year-round. There were too many things happening to count at the United Nations this past week. Nevertheless, we tried.UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSIONS: 78September marks the opening of the 78th session, presided over by Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago. Each session runs for...

Commander Biden bites another Secret Service employee at the White House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ’s dog Commander has bitten another U.S. Secret Service employee. A uniformed division officer was bitten by the dog around 8 p.m. Monday at the White House, and was treated on-site by medical personnel, said USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi. The officer is doing just fine, he said. Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden, said “the White House can be a stressful environment for family pets, and the first family continues to work on ways to help Commander handle the often unpredictable nature of the White House grounds.”She said the Bidens are “incredibly grateful to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for all they do to keep them, their family, and the country safe.”The German Shepherd purebred has bit or otherwise attacked Secret Service personnel at least 10 other times between October 2022 and January, including one incident that required a hospital visit by the injured law enforcemen...

Connecticut lawmakers OK election monitor for Bridgeport after mayor race tainted by possible fraud

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers voted Tuesday to approve $150,000 in funding for a special election monitor for Bridgeport, as the state’s largest city is enveloped in controversy after surveillance cameras recorded a woman stuffing pieces of paper into an absentee ballot drop box a week before the mayoral primary. Under the new legislation, the monitor will conduct inspections and investigations for the 2023 municipal election and the 2024 state election in Bridgeport. The possible electoral fraud incident is already the subject of a state elections investigation and a civil lawsuit filed by the candidate who lost the primary.The measure overwhelmingly cleared the House of Representatives and Senate during a special legislative session. Republicans in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly insisted Connecticut must take more steps to tighten its electoral laws and ensure confidence in elections across the state. “It’s necessary to show the people of Con...

India and Canada steer clear, in UN speeches, of their dispute over Sikh separatist leader’s killing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Indian and Canadian diplomats didn’t directly address their countries’ row over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader, but they obliquely underscored some key talking points as they addressed world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the world must not “countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism, extremism and violence.” Canadian U.N. Ambassador Robert Rae, by turn, insisted that “we cannot bend the rules of state-to-state relations for political expediency.”Relations between the two countries frayed after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that India may have been involved in the June killing of a Canadian citizen in a Vancouver suburb.Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45. Killed by masked gunmen, Nijjar was a leader in what remains of a once-strong moveme...

Baby found abandoned in West Town

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

CHICAGO — An investigation is underway on Tuesday afternoon after authorities say a baby girl was found abandoned in West Town on Tuesday afternoon. Chicago police say the baby girl was found in the 1800 block of West Ohio Street around 3:48 p.m. Bucktown residents voice concerns after man beaten, robbed in broad daylight Police have not provided details on the child's age and say responding officers took the baby to Lurie Children's Hospital.Police have not yet said how the child was found or whether they had suffered any injuries.

Would a government shutdown impact SNAP, WIC food assistance?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — As Congress continues to try to avoid a government shutdown by the end of the week, it’s hard for many Americans to not worry about the impact it could have on their federal benefits. In many cases, those benefits will not be impacted if the government does, in fact, shut down. That includes Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and many benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. But what about food stamps and other food assistance programs? Unfortunately, they won’t all be as lucky. On Monday, the White House warned a government shutdown would “jeopardize” federal food assistance for nearly 7 million mothers and young children who rely on WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.  Would a government shutdown impact Social Security, VA benefits? The program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serves low-income pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, postpartum women, infants, and ...

Last supermoon of 2023: What to know about this week's harvest moon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Eyes up, skygazers, the harvest moon that rises this week will be the last supermoon of 2023.The bright, full moon will be visible between Thursday night and Friday morning, barring any cloud cover where you live.The "harvest moon" falls closest to the start of autumn and got its name before the advent of electricity, when farmers had to rely on the moon's light as they worked into the night harvesting their crops, according to NASA.You may also notice one or more of the three planets accompanying the harvest moon: Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury, according to Space.com. Blue supermoon photos: See images from around the world This year's harvest moon follows the rare blue supermoon, the closest full moon of the year, which lit up the sky in late August.A supermoon happens around the time when a full moon passes closest to Earth in its orbit. About a quarter of the full moons in a year will be supermoons, according to NASA.Thinking about relaxing inside and skipping this we...

More migrants arrive in Chicago from Texas-Mexico border

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Another group of migrants arrived Tuesday in Chicago from the Texas-Mexico border.It's not clear how many have arrived, but some migrants believe close to 150 migrants have arrived. Record number of migrant buses arrive in Chicago in single weekend; city discusses its response WGN-TV crews saw at least one bus from Texas packed with migrants.But the asylum seekers were dropped off near Vernon Park Place and Jefferson Street, where they were welcomed by city officials.WGN-TV spoke with Albert, who was on the bus from Eagle Pass.When he had only been in Chicago for a few hours, he said he believes it will be a better life than the one he was living in Venezuela. He spoke to WGN-TV in Spanish but said "I'm going to be able to go out and look for work, to be able to stabilize myself financially and help my family and get ahead with my goals."The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said they expected eight buses to arrive on Tuesday. If all eight buses a...

Leander intersection sees frequent left-turn crashes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Residents near the intersection of US 183 and Heritage Grove Road said they avoid the crossroads as it has a reputation for frequent crashes.Vehicles that pull up where Heritage Grove Road meets US 183 and need to turn left, must cross north and southbound traffic. At this intersection, there is only one stop sign at the end of the road.Viewers reported their concerns about the intersection to KXAN's ReportIt tip line this past week. They said there had been a left-turn related crash days before.The City of Leander said since March, there have been five crashes at the intersection -- two of which happened in August, the latest in September. All crashes involved vehicles making left-hand turns from both US 183 and Heritage Grove Road.Lawrence Lee moved into a subdivision near the intersection back in May. He said he's adjusted his commutes from his home to avoid the crossroad, especially at night."I feel like if there was a traffic light it could be more safe....

Affidavit: Man accused of holding food truck owner at knifepoint

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man was arrested after he was accused of robbing a food truck owner at knifepoint in downtown Austin last week, according to an affidavit.The man was identified as Russell Bosley, 59, according to court records. He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.Shortly after 10 a.m., on Sept. 23, a man told an Austin Police officer that the robbery occurred on Sept. 22 at his food truck in the 700 block of East Seventh Street, according to the affidavit. He told police he was too scared to report the crime right after it happened.Russell Bosley, 59Mugshot provided by Austin Police DepartmentCourt records said the incident took place around 6 p.m., when the truck owner was approached by a man, later identified as Bosley. According to the affidavit, the food truck owner said Bosley pulled a pocket knife on him and said, "bring me the money you are counting." After he took the money, Bosley said he would be back for more the next day.KXAN is ...