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At NATO summit, Biden says ‘our unity will not falter’ on Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden pledged Wednesday that western allies “will not waver” in defense of Ukraine, casting the struggle against Russian aggression as one of the world’s central challenges. “Our unity will not falter,” Biden said. “I promise you.”He made the pledge at the NATO summit in the capital of Lithuania, a country that he said knows the “transformational power of freedom” after spending decades under Moscow’s thumb. “America never recognized the Soviet occupation of the Baltic,” he said to an outpouring of cheers from a crowd of thousands at Vilnius University. “Never, never.”The courtyard where Biden spoke was draped with American and Lithuanian flags. More spectators gathered in an overflow area, where a big screen was set up. Biden spent two days in Vilnius for the annual NATO summit, where members of the western military alliance pledged more support for Ukraine but stopped short of extending an invitation for the...

IMF approves much-awaited $3 billion bailout for Pakistan, saving it from defaulting on debt

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday approved a much-awaited $3 billion bailout for Pakistan, the global lender said, a move that’s likely to save the impoverished Islamic nation from defaulting on its debt repayments.The IMF said its executive board approved an agreement to release the funds over a nine-month period to support Pakistan’s economic stabilization program. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Pakistan and the IMF agreed to the nine-month plan following a series of meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and other officials.“The arrangement comes at a challenging economic juncture for Pakistan. A difficult external environment, devastating floods, and policy missteps have led to large fiscal and external deficits, rising inflation, and eroded reserve buffers” in the fiscal year 2023, the IMF said in a statement.The Associated Press

Lawsuits could delay the start of New Jersey’s first offshore wind power project

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — A tangle of litigation could delay the start of New Jersey’s first offshore wind energy project, as developer Orsted is suing governments to stop delaying necessary permits, and citizens groups try to halt the project altogether.The latest in a fast-growing thicket of litigation came July 3 when Danish wind power developer Orsted sued Cape May County, alleging the government is dragging its feet in issuing a road permit needed to do test work along the route a power cable would run.The company is also suing the city of Ocean City over similar delays to the project, which the federal government has endorsed as a significant piece in the White House’s efforts to “jump-start the offshore wind industry across the country,” in order to tackle the catastrophic effects of climate change.Last month, three citizens groups opposed to offshore wind — Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach, and Protect Our Coast NJ — filed an appeal of New Jersey’s d...

Turkey’s Erdogan says lawmakers will take up ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership in October

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Sweden’s NATO membership bid would not be ratified by Turkey’s parliament before October, but that he hopes for a swift ratification once lawmakers return from a break.Turkey on Monday withdrew its objections to Sweden joining the alliance, a step toward the unity that Western leaders have been eager to demonstrate in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision by Erdogan was a significant move toward Sweden’s membership and came after days of intensive meetings.Erdogan’s comments Wednesday were his first public confirmation of his decision to refer Sweden’s membership to parliament, where his party and its allies command a majority.He said at a news conference at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, that the process would have to wait until after lawmakers return from a summer recess. The new session opens Oct. 1. “The parliament is not in session for the upcoming two months … but our ...

Pioneering Anchor Brewing Co. to halt operations after 127 years with beer sales in decline

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

San Francisco’s 127-year-old Anchor Brewing Co. will shut down and liquidate after years of declining sales, citing tough economic conditions. Anchor has been a trailblazer in the U.S., brewing craft beers when most Americans were loyal to one of the few major breweries. The brewery teetered on insolvency in the 1960s, when it was acquired by Stanford grad Fritz Maytag, according to Anchor Brewing. Maytag implemented new brewing practices such as dry hopping, and began bottling the beer in 1971. By the mid 1970s Anchor Brewing had assembled a solid portfolio of respected brews including Anchor Porter, Liberty Ale, Old Foghorn Barleywine Ale, and the first annual Christmas Ale, a sought-after brew around the holiday every year in multiple regions of the U.S. In 2017 it was purchased by Japan’s Sapporo. Beer makers have faced increasing difficulties over the past few years, including lockdowns implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation concerns and the rise of sales of ...

Two men charged in shooting death of Fudail Moulvi

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

Two men have been arrested in the shooting death of a 19-year-old earlier this month in Don Mills.Police say Fudail Moulvi was found shot to death in the area of Lawrence Avenue and Don Mills Road on July 1. Investigators believe Moulvi was shot at a separate location. On Tuesday, police charged 19-year-old Komail Kabal Mohammad with second degree murder. On Wednesday, police say 20-year-old Mustafa Khalid turned himself into police and has also been charged with second degree murder.

Recognition of First Nations rights a ‘sticking’ point in new policing law plan: AFN

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

OTTAWA — A lawyer for the Assembly of First Nations says including the recognition of rights is a “sticking” point as the organization negotiates a new policing bill with Ottawa. Julie McGregor updated chiefs gathered in Halifax today on work to develop a law that would declare policing on First Nations an essential service.She told the organization’s general assembly the Department of Public Safety recently said it does not have a mandate to include full recognition of First Nations rights in the proposed legislation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that his government would bring forward a new law in 2020.Calls for its introduction were amplified last year after 11 people were stabbed and killed on James Smith Cree Nation and the nearby community of Weldon, Sask., where the RCMP was the police service of jurisdiction. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said last year that he hoped to table a bill by the fall, but nothing was introduced before MPs broke...

WATCH LIVE | Chicago Weather Live: Storms blanket Chicago area - join the interactive livestream

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

CHICAGO — WGN meteorologist Tim Joyce is taking your questions as severe storms move through the Chicago area. Flood Watch in effect as heavy rain, storms move through area Join Tim and WGN News Now host Chip Brewster at 1:00 p.m. for an interactive, weather-centric livestream. They are taking as many viewer questions and comments as they can immediately following WGN Midday News.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Have a question or comment? Send it in via this form:Submit a form.

Why the All-Star Game was extra special for Cubs' pitcher Justin Steele

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

SEATTLE — For the first time in 11 years, the National League has won the Midsummer Classic, and a Cubs' player had something to do with it.Yet that probably wasn't the only thing that made Tuesday night something quite special for Justin Steele. The pitcher had a number of reasons to celebrate over the course of 24 hours in Seattle. (Justin Steele with family at MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet)The first reason had nothing to due with baseball but rather the placement of the game on July 11.That's because the pitcher was getting ready for his first MLB All-Star Game on his 28th birthday. Steele earned the right with an outstanding first half where he went 9-2 with a 2.56 ERA in his third season at the major league level with the Cubs. But he wasn't the only one to get birthday wishes on this day, because his son, Beau, was also celebrating his first birthday as well.All of this on a day for a pitcher who was a fifth round draft pick for the Cubs, spent seven years in the minor leagues,...

Pioneering Anchor Brewing Co. to shut down after 127 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:32 GMT

San Francisco’s 127-year-old Anchor Brewing Co. will shut down and liquidate after years of declining sales, citing tough economic conditions.Anchor has been a trailblazer in the U.S., brewing craft beers when most Americans were loyal to one of the few major breweries.The brewery teetered on insolvency in the 1960s, when it was acquired by Stanford grad Fritz Maytag, according to Anchor Brewing.Maytag implemented new brewing practices such as dry hopping, and began bottling the beer in 1971. By the mid 1970s Anchor Brewing had assembled a solid portfolio of respected brews including Anchor Porter, Liberty Ale, Old Foghorn Barleywine Ale, and the first annual Christmas Ale, a sought-after brew around the holiday every year in multiple regions of the U.S.In 2017 it was purchased by Japan's Sapporo. Student loans: How payments pinch renters, dash dreams of homeownership Beer makers have faced increasing difficulties over the past few years, including lockdowns implemented during the...