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French foreign minister says she is open to South Pacific resettlement requests due to rising seas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said on Monday she was open to any resettlement request from tiny South Pacific nations threatened by rising sea levels, similar to Australia’s agreement with Tuvalu.Colonna said France had watched with “great interest” last month when Australia offered Tuvalu a lifeline to help residents escape the rising seas and increased storms brought by climate change.At a meeting of Pacific leaders in the Cook Islands, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a plan that will initially allow up to 280 Tuvaluans to come to Australia each year. Tuvalu has a population of 11,000, and its low-lying atolls make it particularly vulnerable to global warming.Colonna said she was not sure if the French Pacific territories of French Polynesia and New Caledonia had the capacity to make similar offers.“I’m open to consider any specific request,” Colonna told the National Press Club.“But … the size of the Australian con...

In the Amazon, Indigenous women bring a tiny tribe back from the brink of extinction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

Juma Indigenous Territory, Amazonas, Brazil (AP) — At night, in this village near the Assua River in Brazil, the rainforest reverberates. The sound of generators at times competes with the forest, a sign that there are people here. Until recently, the Juma people seemed destined to disappear like countless other Amazon tribes decimated by the European invasion. In the late 1990s, the last remaining family was made up of three sisters, Boreá, Mandeí, and Maytá and their father, Aruká, in his 50s. In 2021, Aruká died of COVID-19, prompting obituaries like the one in The New York Times that said the “ last man of his tribe ” was gone, pushing the Juma, a patriarchal society, closer to extinction. Or so it seemed.The sisters and their father had another plan. “I became interested in trying to gather more strength,” said Mandeí Juma. “So, I started taking on the role of the leader, the first woman to do so. My sisters and my father encouraged me to assume the position.” In fact, she was ...

Stock market today: Shares mixed in Asia ahead of updates on jobs, inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares traded mixed Monday as investors awaited a slew of U.S. economic data set for release later in the week.Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 shed 0.8% in morning trading to 33,159.03. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.6% to 7,118.40. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3% to 2,513.03. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.6% to 16,736.45, while the Shanghai Composite edged down less than 0.1% to 3,029.42. China Evergrande’s Hong Kong traded shares were up 7% after a Hong Kong court postponed until Jan. 29 a hearing on its plan to restructure its massive debts. The company faces possible liquidation if creditors reject its restructuring plan. Among the economic updates due this week are data on the job market, including the U.S. government’s closely watched monthly employment report for November.“Traders prepare for a slew of actionable U.S. economic data scheduled for release this week, poised to be crucial in refining traders’ expectations regarding ...

At UN climate talks, fossil fuel interests have hundreds of employees on hand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

At least 1,300 employees of organizations representing fossil fuel interests registered to attend this year’s United Nations climate talks in Dubai, more than three times the number found in an Associated Press analysis of last year’s talks, as new rules took effect requiring attendees to disclose their employment.Aside from the new disclosure rules, the figure may have been boosted by a surge in attendance as Earth staggered through a year of record heat and devastating extreme weather attributed to climate change — conference registrations are nearly double that of last year’s talks. The United Nations body responsible for running the conference also released the details of far more attendees than in past years, including people not considered part of official state delegations.The hundreds of fossil fuel-connected people make up just a tiny share of the 90,000 people who registered to attend the climate summit known as COP28. But environmentalists have repeatedl...

1 dead after shooting at hotel in Oakbrook Terrace

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — Police are investigating a deadly shooting at the Hilton Hotel in Oakbrook Terrace Saturday night.Police from multiple west suburbs were called to the hotel near 10 Drury Lane at around 8:30 p.m. on a report of shots fired. Brighton Park migrant camp nearing completion, despite opposition When officers arrived on the scene, they found a person who had been shot multiple times, police said. Officers say the victim later succumbed to their injuries.Police say a person of interest was taken into custody and authorities have not yet identified anyone involved.Hotel guests were outside for hours before they were cleared to return to their rooms.Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and an investigation is underway.

Gophers football add quarterback transfer Max Brosmer in portal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

The Gophers football program picked up a transfer commitment from New Hampshire quarterback Max Brosmer on Sunday night.Minnesota had sought another QB after the 2023 season and offered Brosmer a scholarship last Monday.“After talking to my family, I have decided to commit to The University of Minnesota,” Brosmer wrote on social media. “I want to thank the entire Gopher coaching staff and team for welcoming me into their program. Let’s rock!”Brosmer led FCS with 3,449 passing yards last season. He had a completion percentage of 64, along with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He posted a career-high 493 passing yards at Central Michigan.Listed at 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds, Brosmer has played 34 total collegiate games, advancing to the FCS playoffs in 2022 and has one year of eligibility remaining. His 2021 season was lost to a knee injury and the pandemic interrupted 2020.Brosmer, of Roswell, Ga., has a degree in biomedical science, has been working on...

Cannabis industry reacts to CAURD block lifted

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary, or CAURD, license program is moving forward after an injunction halting process was lifted on Friday, December 1. With it, dispensaries that were in the process of opening can now do so. Royale Flower Dispensary has an empty store in Albany's Loudon Plaza. They have been waiting for their CAURD license with a cannabis growers showcase outside, but can now prepare for a grand opening before the end of the year. Judge blocks OCM from issuing CAURD licenses (August 2023) "Relief for us. Now we can finally move forward. We’re kind of hoping that it’s gonna be a quick process," stated Christine Richardson with Royale Flower.Cultivators like Sugarhouse Farms were relying on limited avenues to make a profit. Their CEO says this is a big step towards meeting demand with lab-tested products. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "463 CAURD applicants being able to m...

Stock market today: Shares mixed in Asia ahead of updates on jobs, inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares traded mixed Monday as investors awaited a slew of U.S. economic data set for release later in the week.Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 shed 0.8% in morning trading to 33,159.03. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.6% to 7,118.40. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3% to 2,513.03. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.6% to 16,736.45, while the Shanghai Composite edged down less than 0.1% to 3,029.42. China Evergrande’s Hong Kong traded shares were up 7% after a Hong Kong court postponed until Jan. 29 a hearing on its plan to restructure its massive debts. The company faces possible liquidation if creditors reject its restructuring plan. Among the economic updates due this week are data on the job market, including the U.S. government’s closely watched monthly employment report for November.“Traders prepare for a slew of actionable U.S. economic data scheduled for release this week, poised to be crucial in refining traders’ expectations regarding ...

‘A dreamland’: Dedicated gluten-free bakery opens in Prince William Co.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

A dedicated gluten-free bakery — the only one of its kind in Prince William County, Virginia — officially opened Friday. It’s already become a haven for those who can’t eat most pastries sold in stores.The new bakery, Honey and Ivy, is located at 9105 Center Street in Old Town Manassas — near the train station. The owners said their goal goes beyond the novelty.“Our goal is for it to just be good period, not good for being gluten-free,” said Emily Hamby, who has celiac disease and runs the bakery with head decorator Morgan Ulisse.‘A dreamland’Hamby said oftentimes people who have to eat gluten-free must check every ingredient in their food wherever they go. But, at her bakery, they’re able to eat without all that stress.“The joy of walking into a place and knowing that you can order anything on the menu is not something that we experience very often,” Mary Beth Keenan, a longtime customer, told WTOP. “It’s kind of a dreamland to come in and know that whatever we see, wha...

Braves acquire outfielder Jarred Kelenic, pitcher Marco Gonzales as Mariners dump salary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:20 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — The Atlanta Braves acquired outfielder Jarred Kelenic, pitcher Marco Gonzales and infielder Evan White from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday night for right-handed pitchers Cole Phillips and Jackson Kowar.The move added a veteran lefty to the Braves pitching staff, along with Kelenic, who at one time was one of baseball’s top young prospect. In the process, Seattle cleared a chunk of salary off its payroll, giving up on Kelenic in order for the Braves to take the contracts of Gonzales and White.Seattle is sending Atlanta cash as part of the trade. Gonzales is owed $12 million for the 2024 season, while White has $17 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract.“As we continue to work through this offseason with a goal of improving our team for 2024 and beyond, we believe the additions of Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips, as well as the roster and payroll flexibility created tonight, will move us closer to that goal,” Seattle President of Baseball Operation...