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Supreme Court allows drawing of new Alabama congressional map to proceed, rejecting state’s plea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the drawing of a new Alabama congressional map with greater representation for Black voters to proceed, rejecting the state’s plea to retain Republican-drawn lines that were struck down by a lower court.In refusing to intervene, the justices allowed a court-appointed special master’s work to continue. On Monday, he submitted three proposals that would create a second congressional district where Black voters comprise a majority of the voting age population or close to it. Mark Sherman, The Associated Press

Book Review: ‘The Spice Must Flow’ chronicles the legacy of the breakthrough novel ‘Dune’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The saga of how cult sci-fi novel “Dune” slowly permeated the mainstream over decades is a tale with almost as many twists and turns as “Dune” itself, and author Ryan Britt recounts it in the lively and entertaining “The Spice Must Flow.”As Britt details, author Frank Herbert began to plot the novel — about a young boy named Paul Atreides who may be the future leader of the galaxy — after doing research for a nonfiction article about a manmade technique to stabilize sand dunes.Much of the action takes place on Arrakis, a desert planet that has reserves of a precious natural resource, spice, and is infested with sandworms, Herbert’s iconic dune creature.Herbert had authored sci-fi short stories and novels before, but the only place he could find willing to publish “Dune” in 1964 was an auto-repair book publisher.But slowly “Dune,” and its sequels caught on. Different aspects of the novel — a swashbuckling adventure tale, an environmental treatise and a polemic against...

Taylor Swift is a fan and suddenly, so is everyone else. Travis Kelce jersey sales jump nearly 400%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift’s trip to watch the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce play football on Sunday didn’t just have the internet talking nonstop. Following the 12-time Grammy Award winner’s appearance at Arrowhead Stadium, jersey sales for the All-Pro tight-end seemingly skyrocketed.According to sportswear and fan merchandise company Fanatics, Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players Sunday. He “saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” a spokesperson told The Associated Press via email.Sales spiked on the same day that Swift was spotted in Kansas City, watching the Chiefs play the Chicago Bears alongside Kelce’s mother, Donna, from one of the football stadium’s glass-enclosed suites.Kelce did not speak to reporters afterward, but he was spotted leaving Arrowhead with Swift by his side.Still, just about everyone in the Kansas City locker room was buzzing about the news after Sunday...

Speaker Rota to meet House leaders over honouring man who fought for Nazis: Trudeau

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he expects that House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota is reflecting on how to maintain dignity in the chamber ahead of a meeting later today with all party House leaders.Trudeau says it is good that Rota apologized to Parliament for inviting and recognizing in the House a Ukraine military veteran now living in Canada who had served in a Nazi unit during the Second World War.All members of Parliament stood and applauded 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka last Friday during the official visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, without knowing the details of his past.Trudeau says the mistake is “deeply embarrassing.”Rota is to meet with House leaders at noon today after both the NDP and Bloc Québécois called for him to resign on Monday.The Conservatives say Trudeau is throwing Rota under the bus and that the prime minister should take responsibility for the invitation.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26...

Congress is moving into crisis mode to avoid a government shutdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — With a government shutdown five days away, Congress is moving into crisis mode as Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces an insurgency from hard-right Republicans eager to slash spending even if it means curtailing federal services for millions of Americans.There’s no clear path ahead as lawmakers return with tensions high and options limited. The House is expected to vote Tuesday evening on a package of bills to fund parts of the government, but it’s not at all clear that McCarthy has the support needed to move ahead. Meanwhile, the Senate, trying to stave off a federal closure, is preparing its own bipartisan plan for a stopgap measure to buy some time and keep offices funded past Saturday’s deadline as work in Congress continues. But plans to tack on additional Ukraine aid have run into trouble as a number of Republicans in both the House and Senate oppose spending more money on the war effort. Against the mounting chaos, President Joe Biden warned the R...

Stock market today: Wall Street opens lower, a day after a rare gain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is back to falling on Tuesday, even as pressure from the bond market relaxes a bit. The S&P 500 was 0.7% lower in early trading, coming off a rare gain and on track for its fifth drop in six days. The Dow pulled back 176 points and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.8%. Stocks have tumbled this month, which is on track to be their worst of the year, as the realization sets in that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for a long time as it tries to push inflation lower. Treasury yields were stable. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Wall Street is poised to open lower ahead of a possible U.S. government shutdown and as the realization sets in that interest rates may remain elevated for a long time. Futures for the Dow Jones industrials fell 0.4% before the opening bell Tuesday and S&P 500 are off 0.5%. With the jobs market still hot markets still boisterous, the Federal Reserve will likely keep interest rates hig...

As climate change and high costs plague Alaska’s fisheries, fewer young people take up the trade

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Lane Bolich first came to work in Alaska for the freedom and excitement that comes with being a fisher.A self-described adrenaline junkie, Bolich moved from his hometown in rural Washington state because he loves being on the ocean even in cold winter weather and it gave him the chance to make more money than back home. After working as a deckhand for two years on a family friend’s boat, Harmony, he took the wheel as captain this year at just 20 years old. Bolich is a rarity in an aging industry with high barriers to entry — equipment and access rights are costly — and increasing unpredictability as human-caused climate change alters marine habitats. As some fish populations dwindle and fewer people pursue the trade, fishers and conservation groups are actively working to bring in and retain the next generation of fishers through grants and training even as the industry continues to shrink in Alaska.For the young people who do become commercial fishers, many se...

Musk’s X is the biggest purveyor of disinformation, EU official says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A top European Union official said Tuesday that the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, is the biggest source of fake news and urged owner Elon Musk to comply with the bloc’s laws aimed at combating disinformation. Ahead of upcoming elections, Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Meta also have more to do to tackle disinformation, much of it coming from Russia, which is using social media to wage a “war of ideas” against democracy, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said. Moscow’s disinformation operation “is a multimillion-euro weapon of mass manipulation aimed both internally at the Russians as well as at Europeans and the rest of the world,” she said at a press briefing in Brussels. With elections scheduled in Slovakia and Poland in the coming weeks and a bloc-wide vote next year, big online platforms must address the risk of online meddling, she said. The Kremlin and other malicious actors “will try to use the design features of the...

How climate change could affect where and when people travel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

Travelers encountered many weather surprises this summer, from wildfires in Europe to knee-deep mud at Burning Man. Indeed, it was the hottest summer on record around the globe, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.“The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in a prepared statement published Sept. 6. “Our planet has just endured a season of simmering — the hottest summer on record. Climate breakdown has begun.”Shifting weather patterns are raising questions about where, when, how and whether tourists will travel.For example, does it still make sense to visit Italy in July, despite high temperatures, large crowds and minimal air conditioning? Or should “peak” travel season move to the more hospitable autumn or spring months?Tourism destinations are starting to take note — and get worried — about the toll climate change could take on this enormous industry.HOT DESTINATIONSEscaping to the Sp...

Cellphone store in Lincoln Park latest target in string of armed robberies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:48 GMT

CHICAGO — More armed robberies in Chicago overnight as residents on the North and West sides are voicing their concerns.In one of the latest incidents, a cellphone store was targeted in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood.Police said it happened at an AT&T store on the 1700 block of West Fullerton just before 8 p.m. Monday. Two armed males entered the store and stole multiple phones and other devices — as well as money. According to police, the victims in the incident had their hands restrained.The offenders were able to get away in a white SUV and no one was injured.Another string of armed robberies occurred after midnight Tuesday. Police said in the four incidents, two to three male offenders would exit vehicles and demand property from the victims at gunpoint. The incidents happened at the following locations: 3500 North Kimball Avenue400 North Aberdeen Avenue3000 West Carroll Avenue1100 West Van Buren StreetSo far, no one is in custody in any of the robberies.Multiple alder...