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Garcetti India nomination wins critical test vote in Senate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appeared headed for confirmation Wednesday as the next U.S. ambassador to India, 20 months after he was initially selected for the post and amid fallout from a sexual harassment scandal involving a onetime top adviser.The nomination cleared a key test vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate, 52-42. The vote unfolded with some suspense, as it wasn’t clear the progressive Democrat would have enough support to advance. But he was able to win over a handful of Republican senators, putting him over the top. A final vote was scheduled for later in the day.The nomination for the prominent diplomatic post has languished in the Senate for 20 months, after President Joe Biden first named him in July 2021.The vacancy in the ambassadorship has left a significant diplomatic gap for the administration at a time of rising global tensions, including China’s increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region and Russia’s war with Ukr...

Powerful boss of casino union leaving post in Atlantic City

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — He’s led Atlantic City casino workers through three strikes, been arrested at protests nearly 10 times, and won workers including housekeepers, cocktail servers and others the best contract they had ever had.Now Bob McDevitt is stepping down as president of the main union for Atlantic City casino workers, Local 54 of Unite Here, after 26 years as one of the most powerful people in Atlantic City, able to bring the industry to its knees when he felt workers were being treated unfairly.It is a power that he has used repeatedly; sometimes, the mere threat of a strike prompted casinos to sign a new contract.“We represent people who traditionally have not been what you would consider high-wage workers — housekeepers, bartenders, cocktail servers, people who clean public areas,” he said. “It’s one thing to work as a waiter over the summer while you’re in college; it’s quite another to try to support yourself and a family on that. That̵...

Court: Ukraine can try to avoid repaying $3B loan to Russia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Ukraine can go to trial to avoid repaying $3 billion in loans it said it took under pressure from Russia in 2013 to prevent it from trying to join the European Union.The court rejected a bid by a British company acting on Russia’s behalf to order Ukraine to repay the loans without facing a trial. Ukraine said it borrowed the money while facing the threat of military force and massive illegal economic and political pressure nearly a decade before Russia invaded its neighbor.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted that the ruling was “another decisive victory against the aggressor.”“The Court has ruled that Ukraine’s defense based on Russia’s threats of aggression will have a full public trial,” he tweeted. “Justice will be ours.” The case was argued in November 2021, and the court was not asked to consider Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three months later. Ukrainian authorities allege that the corrupt government of...

Navalny ‘terribly glad’ documentary about him won an Oscar

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Wednesday he was “terribly glad” that a film detailing his poisoning and political activism won the Oscar for best documentary feature.In a series of tweets that appeared on his account on Wednesday, the politician congratulated director Daniel Roher and others involved in the making of “Navalny,” as well as his wife Yulia and his allies in the Anti-Corruption Foundation. “I am, of course, terribly glad, but while rejoicing, I try not to forget that it wasn’t me who won the Oscar after all,” Navalny said.The documentary portrays Navalny’s career of fighting official corruption, his near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent in 2020 that he blames on the Kremlin, his five-month recuperation in Germany and his 2021 return to Moscow, where he was immediately taken into custody at the airport. He was later sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison and last year was convicted and given another nine-year term.Nav...

WATCH LIVE | Chicago area elected officials, community groups react to federal approval of major railroad merger

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

The first major railroad merger in more than two decades will go forward after federal regulators approved Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern.The two are the smallest among the nations seven major railroads, but their coupling will create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States. The approval Wednesday by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board comes after an arduous two-year review. Railroads are under intensifying scrutiny following a fiery crash that forced evacuations in Ohio last month. The Transportation Board said that the new direct service "will facilitate the flow of grain from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast and Mexico, the movement of intermodal goods between Dallas and Chicago and the trade in automotive parts, finished vehicles, and other containerized mixed goods between the United States and Mexico."The combined company will have little to no track redundancies or overlapping routes, and is also expected to add more t...

Amid high cost of living expenses, Jack in the Box launches 'free rent' sweepstakes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

(KTLA) – Jack in the Box wants to help its customers pay next month’s rent.As the cost of living continues to increase, mainly due to high inflation, the fast-food company announced plans to pay a month's worth of rent for for five lucky customers during a promotion for its new Mint Mobile Shake, which is a collaboration between Jack in the Box and Mint Mobile, a cellphone company partially owned by actor Ryan Reynolds.More specifically, Jack in the Box is offering a chance to win one of five $3,000 grand prizes "to be used towards the winner’s monthly rent," according to the sweepstakes rules.An image of the Mint Mobile shake, a collaboration between Jack in the Box and Mint Mobile. (Jack in the Box) To enter for a chance to win the "free rent sweepstakes," customers can sign up for Jack in the Box’s Jack Pack Rewards program and purchase a Mint Mobile Shake between March 15 and 31 on the Jack in the Box app, or online. Those interested in entering without making a purchase can als...

Where the Bulls stand in the playoff race with a month left in the 2022-2023 season

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

CHICAGO - It's been a very inconsistent season with more good than bad over the last few months that may have changed the trajectory of this core of the team. But as the team looks ahead to the final month of their season, one of their key goals still remains in play: The NBA Playoffs. With 15 games to go, the Bulls are currently tied with the Wizards for the 10th and final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference. It's not ideal, since the teams was able to bypass that tournament last season with a 45-37 record and get the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.But the chance exists for the Bulls to play in the postseason for the second-straight season, something they haven't done for eight years. Should they get there, they would have the shot to play for the seventh or the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. As far as moving up in the play-in tournament, the Bulls are a game behind the Raptors for ninth, two games behind the Hawks for eighth, and 4 1/2 games behind the He...

Dunkin' discontinues a signature beverage after 23 years on the menu

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Boy, is Ben Affleck gonna be upset when he hears about this.Dunkin’ has announced that the coffee chain is “retiring” its Dunkaccino beverages after 23 years on the menu, confirming the news in a statement obtained by TODAY earlier this week."As we focus on innovation and finding new ways to delight guests, we continually evolve our menu in an effort to deliver a fast, frictionless experience,” the Massachusetts-based chain said in an emailed statement also shared with Nexstar. “The Dunkaccino is retired for now, but there’s always the chance for its return in the future."A representative for Dunkin's customer service department, speaking with Nexstar, added that the drink was actually discontinued in April 2022, though many locations have continued to sell the beverage while ingredients were still in stock. Starbucks to begin selling coffee infused with olive oil The drink, which debuted in 2000, has been described by Dunkin’ as a “unique blend of coffee and hot choco...

Giant hornet nest on City of Georgetown land keeps residents away from backyard

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — A giant hornet's nest hangs near a backyard fence belonging to the Grace family. The threat of it falling and cracking open has kept the family out of the space for months now and they haven't found a service willing to remove it.The pale-gray and white nest is about the size of a basketball and looks almost like it could be made out of paper mache.The hundreds of furry-buzzing bodies that crawl over its surface gave the hidden hive away to Monica Grace after leaves on the host tree fell off this winter.She reached out to KXAN via ReportIt to raise awareness about her hornet-removal struggles.The nest is on property owned by the City of Georgetown, according to Williamson Central Appraisal District records.KXAN.com reached out to the city about this issue, it encouraged any residents dealing with a similar nest to hire a private contractor to remove it.Grace said she has tried doing just that, but to no avail. She said that one company declined to perform ...

'Secret' Austin-area aerospace company, awarded $112M contract by NASA

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:44 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 15, 2023.CEDAR PARK, TX (KXAN) - An Austin-area space transportation company will be heading to the dark side of the moon. Firefly Aerospace announced this week they've been awarded a contract by NASA to deliver goods to the far side of the moon as part of the space agency's return to the surface.The contract has an estimated value of $112 million and will include multiple deliveries. According to representatives with Firefly, this mission will debut the company's Blue Ghost spacecraft.The craft will land on the furthest lunar landing site, located on the "dark side of the moon." This is the side of the moon that does not face the Earth. Communications on this side of the moon are challenging.Part of Firefly's mission will be the delivery of the European Space Agency's Lunar Pathfinder satellite. According to the ESA, this satellite will assist with communications around the moon as missions to the surfa...