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Republicans and Democrats agree that the Afghanistan war wasn’t worth it, an AP-NORC poll shows

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — At a time when Americans are deeply divided along party lines, a new poll shows considerable agreement on at least one issue: The United States’ two-decade-long war in Afghanistan was not worth fighting.The poll from the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research comes two years after the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021 and the Taliban returned to power. The war was started to go after the masterminds of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the Taliban who allowed them to use Afghan territory. It ended in frantic scenes of Afghans and Americans desperately trying to get on one of the last flights out of Kabul.Polls suggest the withdrawal, seen by many as chaotic and ill-planned, may have been a turning point for President Joe Biden’s approval ratings, which started a downward slide around that time and have not recovered since. Two-thirds of Americans sa...

Debate begins today over whether to censure NDP MPP over controversial statement on Hamas attack

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

A debate is set to begin at Queen’s Park on Wednesday on whether to censure an NDP MPP over a controversial social media post she wrote in response to the Hamas attack in Israel.The Ford government introduced a motion calling for rookie MPP Sarah Jama to apologize in the legislature for the post she wrote after the Oct. 7 attack. If she doesn’t, she could be banned from speaking in the chamber.The NDP is now accusing the Ford government of playing politics and NDP Leader Marit Stiles is calling the motion a distraction tactic to take focus off the RCMP’s criminal investigation into the Greenbelt scandal.“MPP Jama has apologized and made it clear she condemns the terrorist attack by Hamas,” says Stiles. “It is a very drastic move to censure an MPP.”Jama, the MPP representing Hamilton Centre, posted a two-paragraph statement last week under Ontario NDP letterhead that made no mention of the surprise attack by Hamas militants. The post instead ...

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrives in North Korea, Russian state media say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in North Korea on Wednesday, according to Russian state news agency Tass, the latest in a flurry of diplomatic activity between the two countries in which Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited North Korea in July and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia in September. Earlier in the week, Lavrov accompanied President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Beijing that underscored Chinese support for Moscow during its war in Ukraine.Lavrov last visited North Korea in 2018. During his two-day visit he is to meet with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said. Putin also accepted an invitation from Kim to visit North Korea, but the timing has not been announced. During Kim’s visit to Russia he met Putin at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome and inspected fighter jets at an aircraft factory in Russia’s far east.The White House said on Friday that North Korea has delivered more than 1,000 c...

Adopting a rescue dog? Here’s what to know about pet insurance

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

Adopting a rescue or shelter dog doesn’t just give a needy animal a home. It can provide a playmate for your kids, a jogging buddy for you and a loyal companion for everyone to cuddle with on the couch. But a new pet can also come with unexpected vet bills, which is why you might want to consider pet insurance.Pet insurance policies can help pay for treatment if your furry friend gets sick or hurt. In some cases, they may also cover vaccinations and other routine care. Here’s how to decide whether pet insurance is right for your rescue dog.ESTIMATE THE COST OF VET CAREIt’s impossible to know which medical problems a given pet may have in the future. However, researching the breeds you’re interested in can help you get a sense of which health conditions are most likely to crop up, says Dr. Antonio DeMarco, chief medical officer at GoodVets, a chain of animal hospitals with locations across the U.S. Some of these conditions can be both serious and expensive to treat, he says.For examp...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s, chance for afternoon showers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

CHICAGO — Increasing clouds Wednesday with milder conditions and a chance of late afternoon showers. Winds: S 5-10 mph. High: 68. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Cloudy and breezy tonnight with showers/t'storms likely. Wind: S 10-20, G30 mph. Low 53.Thursday Forecast: Rain at times and breezy. Winds: SSW 5-15 mph. High 62. Extended outlook calls for showers and breaks of sun on Friday with a high of 62. Still a few lingering showers are possible into Saturday. But partly sunny skies look to win out by the afternoon with a high in the upper 50s. Mid to upper 50s on Sunday with a bit more sunshine. Next week we're looking dry on Monday with highs back to near 60. Warmer on Tuesday with highs likely back upu to near 70. Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Confusion and complications cloud the return of student loan payments

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

(The Hill) -- Student loan borrowers are facing complications and confusion with the restart of payments as President Joe Biden’s new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan hits snags in its implementation. Before payments restarted after a three-year pandemic break, the Biden administration pushed the Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to help lower monthly payments, but it has been giving incorrect calculations and student loan servicers are struggling to handle the volume of calls placed to fix it. Meanwhile, experts say some borrowers are having to take on second jobs or skip Thanksgiving travel to free up the funds to make their payments. Borrowers are having a "wide variety of experience” with the payment restart, said Bridget Haile, chief customer officer at Summer, a student loan financing company, adding the “most common things we're hearing, the biggest one is folks trying to enroll in the new SAVE plan.”That plan, which the Biden administration calls the “most...

5 repeat toy finalists for Hall of Fame to get yet another chance at winning

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — They are playfully called the “forgotten five”: A handful of toys — the pogo stick, the Fisher-Price Corn Popper, My Little Pony, PEZ dispensers, and Transformers — that regularly approach toybox royalty as finalists for the National Toy Hall of Fame, only to be tossed back on the pile.For one of them, this is the year they finally make it in. The Hall of Fame is letting fans decide which one.Toys usually are chosen for the annual induction ceremony with input from a panel of historians, educators and other experts. The members vote for their top three out of a dozen finalists that have been selected by an internal committee from among thousands of nominations that come in each year.But this year, fan voters will pick one of the so-called forgotten five, to celebrate the National Toy Hall of Fame’s 25th anniversary. That's along with three toys to be chosen in the usual way."They’re like Susan Lucci was to the Emmy Awards, or Steve Tasker to the Pro Football H...

Nearing record heat late week into weekend

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures remain the big weather story this week with a significant warming trend expected to last through the weekend.Afternoon highs will return to the low to mid-80s today, courtesy of abundant sunshine, dry skies and southerly winds. Not only will daytime highs jump a few degrees each day, but so will our nighttime lows.Temperatures climb above average this afternoon... and for the following 6+ daysTemperatures will approach daily records Friday and Saturday as Austin soars to 94° both afternoons. The unseasonably hot weather will make it uncomfortable for Formula One races at COTA this weekend, but no need to worry about bringing any rain gear.Extended forecasts show a change in the weather pattern next week. A trough of low pressure may combine with tropical moisture from the Pacific to bring welcome rain to the area, but exact timing and amounts cannot be determined this far out. Stay tuned for forecast updates.Rain chances return to the forecast Monday an...

US regulators investigate GM's Cruise division over incidents involving pedestrians in roadways

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

U.S. regulators are investigating General Motors' Cruise autonomous vehicle division after receiving reports of incidents where vehicles may not have used proper caution around pedestrians in roadways.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the reports involve automated driving system equipped vehicles encroaching on pedestrians present in or entering roadways, including crosswalks. This could raise the risk of a vehicle striking a pedestrian, which could result in severe injury or death, according to the NHTSA. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation said that it's received two reports involving pedestrian injuries from Cruise vehicles. It's also identified two additional incidents from videos posted to public websites. The office said the total number of relevant pedestrian incidents is unknown. It opened an investigation on Monday. “Cruise’s safety record over 5 million miles continues to outperform comparable human drivers at a time when pedestrian injur...

Clifton Park unveils 2024 town budget proposal

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:57:26 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett has released the 2024 proposed town budget to be reviewed by residents. The proposed budget maintains no town property tax status. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The General Fund spending is projected to be $21,380,016 with the Town Board continuing to invest in the parks and recreation of the Town. According to a release from the Town, 10 new Pickleball Courts are under construction, and the new Project Adventure Course at Collins Park is being mapped out on-site. Also, a new playground on The Common has been completed.The Town looks to continue partnering with local organizations for EMS services, along with making a strong commitment to maintaining and improving its infrastructure. According to a release from the Town, funding for stormwater, road repair, and sanitary sewer maintenance remains in the 2024 budget.