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Republicans balk at plan to replace Feinstein on Judiciary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats’ efforts to temporarily replace California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee met quick opposition Monday from Republicans, complicating their plan as some of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees remain on hold during her extended medical absence.Feinstein, 89, last week asked to be temporarily replaced on the Senate Judiciary Committee while she recuperates in her home state from a case of the shingles. The statement came shortly after a member of California’s House delegation, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, called on her to resign from the Senate, saying it is “unacceptable” for her to miss votes to confirm judges who could be weighing in on abortion rights, a key Democratic priority. Feinstein has been away from the Senate since February. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday that he is moving forward and hopes to put a resolution on the Senate floor this week seeking a temporary substitute on the panel. But it&#...

Alabama officials renew call for clues in birthday shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Shaunkivia Nicole Smith was so exhilarated at the prospect of graduating from Dadeville High School that she often reminded a neighbor of the exact hour it was supposed to happen. “KeKe,” as she was known, had already shared selfies taken in her cap and gown, writing “almost out.”It was not to be. At 17, Smith was among four young people shot and killed at a Sweet 16 birthday party on Saturday in the small Alabama town of Dadeville, about an hour’s drive northeast of Montgomery.Classmates returned to school Monday without her or fellow senior Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell, 18, of Camp Hill, a star football player who was also fatally shot in the melee that injured 32 in addition to those slain. It happened at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio off Dadeville’s courthouse square. The school, with 485 students in grades 6-12, is central to life in the community of 3,200, where “Home of the Tigers” is painted on the water tower and local businesses sp...

2nd teen charged in kidnapping migrants in Houston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — A second teenager has been charged with kidnapping several migrants and allegedly holding them captive for several days at a Houston hotel before they were rescued by FBI agents during a confrontation that ended with the fatal shooting of another suspect, authorities said Monday.Demarcus Celestine, 17, was charged on Saturday with three counts of aggravated kidnapping, according to court records.His arrest was made public on Monday by a tweet from the FBI’s Houston office, which said Celestine had been arrested by FBI agents and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Houston.Celestine, who appeared in court Monday, remained jailed on bonds totaling $300,000.An attorney for Celestine didn’t immediately return a call or an email seeking comment.Authorities allege the kidnapping began March 18 in neighboring Waller County when three migrants who had been traveling on Interstate 10 were stopped and forced from a vehicle.The migrants’ driver might have called 911 and inform...

Brazil’s welcome of Russian minister prompts US blowback

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday expressed gratitude to Brazil for its approach in pushing for an end to hostilities in Ukraine — an effort that has irked both Kyiv and the West, and by afternoon prompted an unusually sharp rebuke from the White House.Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has refused to provide weapons to Ukraine while proposing a club of nations including Brazil and China to mediate peace.On Sunday, Lula told reporters in Abu Dhabi that two nations – both Russia and Ukraine – had decided to go to war, and a day earlier in Beijing said the U.S. must stop “stimulating” the continued fighting and start discussing peace. Earlier this month, he suggested Ukraine could cede Crimea to end the war, which the spokesperson for Ukraine’s foreign ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, and others rejected.After meeting Brazil’s foreign minister on Monday, Lavrov told reporters in a short press conference that the West has engaged in “a rather ...

Speaker McCarthy vows to pass debt bill – but can he do it?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged on Monday to pass legislation to raise the nation’s debt ceiling — but only on condition of capping future federal spending increases at 1% — as he lashed out at President Joe Biden for refusing to engage in budget-cutting negotiations to prevent a debt crisis.In a high-profile speech at the New York Stock Exchange, McCarthy, the Republican leader who was marking his 100th day as speaker, said the nation’s debt load is a “ticking time bomb” and Biden is “missing in action” as the deadline nears to raise the debt limit. But McCarthy’s own ability to bring his plan to passage in coming weeks as promised is highly uncertain. “Since the president continues to hide, House Republicans will take action,” McCarthy vowed.The White House hit back quickly, accusing McCarthy of “dangerous economic hostage taking.” And administration officials reupped Biden’s pressure on the Republican leader to approve a debt c...

Mendicino rejects calls for blanket exemption to terror law for Afghanistan aid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says Ottawawill not issue a blanket exemption to terrorism laws for humanitarian workers in places such as Afghanistan, saying the approach taken by Canada’s peers risks abuse.“The approach outlined in Bill C-41 best mitigates those risks by potential terrorist actors,” Mendicino told the House justice committee Mondayafternoon.He was testifying about legislation he tabled last month thatwould amend the Criminal Code so Canadian aid workers can carry out duties in areas controlled by terrorists without being prosecuted for inadvertently funding such groups.The bill comes more thana year after Canada’s allies issued blanket exemptions for humanitarian aid workers to continue their work in Afghanistan in response to the Taliban’s violent takeover of Kabul in August 2021.Humanitarian groups say that Global Affairs Canada had warned them that purchasing goods or hiring locals in Afghanistan would involve payin...

How the IRS is trying to make tax filing day easier

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

(The Hill) – The due date to file a tax return this year is Tue., April 18 and it comes against the backdrop of some major structural changes in U.S. tax administration that have been a serious point of contention between Democrats and Republicans.But those changes, which will impact audits rates and help the government collect hundreds of billions in missing taxes every year, are likely not being felt by regular taxpayers this season.The backstory: Here’s how the IRS will spend its $80 billion funding boost Instead, filers can expect the preliminary wave of the $80 billion provided to the IRS in the Inflation Reduction Act to result in basic improvements in time spent waiting on the phone and refund delivery speeds.A hiring spree to clear up backlogsOver the course of the pandemic, backlogs of unprocessed tax returns and unanswered phone calls piled up as the agency had to close field offices and have employees start working from home.Even so, service levels are now improving as th...

Man charged in shooting of Black Kansas City teen who went to the wrong house

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) - Charges have been filed against a Kansas City, Missouri man accused of shooting a Black teenager who went to the wrong house earlier this month.Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced late Monday afternoon that Andrew D. Lester, 85, is facing charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. The announcement came just hours after Kansas City police submitted the case to prosecutors. Community protests after Kansas City teen shot while trying to pick up siblings Lester, who is white, is accused of shooting 16-year-old Ralph Yarl last Thursday night after the teen accidentally went to the wrong house to pick up his siblings. According to Kansas City police, Ralph was picking up his younger siblings at a home on N.E. 115th Terrace when he mistakenly went to Lester's house on N.E. 115th Street. He didn't have a phone with him and went to the wrong block, his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to help pay medical bi...

St. Croix River cities brace for crest, expected Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

Officials up and down the St. Croix River on Monday were keeping an eye on the rapidly rising river, which is expected to hit “major” flood stage at Stillwater on Tuesday night and crest on Friday morning.“Major” flood stage for the river at Stillwater is 689 feet above sea level. It could crest at 689.5 feet on Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Flood stage in Stillwater is 687 feet above sea level.Forecasts posted Monday show the river remaining at that 689.5 feet for about 48 hours before slowly beginning to recede. The city’s temporary levee was built to withstand a crest of 693 feet.“We’re in pretty good shape,” said Shawn Sanders, the city’s director of public works. “We’re just worried about if it’s going to come up higher, if we would have to do anything else, but other than that, we’re doing OK. I think the cold weather has been helping us out.”Another 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected Wednesday through Friday, according to National...

Sing-along to ‘Encanto’ at Proctors in October

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:18 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- “Encanto: The Sing Along Film Concert" Fall Tour is coming to the Proctors Theatre in Schenectady. The concert film is set for October 21 at 2 p.m. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The concert event features the entire feature-length film and an on-stage band celebrating all the hit songs from the soundtrack. The soundtrack features eight original songs by Academy Award-nominated, Tony and Grammy-winning songwriter/composer Lin Manuel Miranda with an original score by Academy Award-nominated composer Germaine Franco.The Disney film “Encanto” tells the story of the Madrigals, an extraordinary family living in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia. But when Mirabel, the only ordinary Madrigal, discovers the magic surrounding their home is in danger, she may be her family’s last hope. 98 Degrees to perform at Rivers Casino & Resort Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 21 at 10 a.m. You ...