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Trump absent from stage, not mentioned for first hour of GOP debate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

Participants in the first Republican Party primary debate of the 2024 election season did not spend much time addressing the elephant conspicuously absent from the room.Just after former President Donald Trump’s pre-recorded sit down with an ousted Fox News host hit the web, his GOP rivals mounted a stage in Milwaukee Wednesday evening to attempt a debate without him.Nine candidates qualified for the debate, though only eight arrived after the 45th president declined — perhaps to avoid further incriminating himself ahead of his impending fourth arrest, scheduled this time for Thursday in Georgia.The first question asked to candidates by the Fox News hosts was framed around a Billboard-charting song by independent country artist Oliver Anthony.“Our country is in decline,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in response. “Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation.”Newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, recently charging forward in the polls, was the frequent target of critici...

US approves new $500M arms sale to Taiwan as tension from China intensifies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has approved a $500 million arms sale to Taiwan as it ramps up military assistance to the island despite fervent objections from China.The State Department said Wednesday it had signed off on the sale of infrared search tracking systems along with related equipment for advanced F-16 fighter jets. The sale includes the infrared systems as well as test support and equipment, computer software and spare parts, it said. Although the deal is modest in comparison to previous weapons sales, the move is likely to draw fierce criticism from Beijing, which regards self-governing Taiwan as a renegade province and refuses to rule out the use of force to reunify it with the mainland. “This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the State Department said in a statement. “The proposed sale wil...

Police detective shot in western Washington, 2 juveniles in custody, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A police detective in western Washington state was shot in the shoulder on Wednesday, and two juvenile boys were later taken into custody, according to police. The Tacoma Police Department said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that one of their detectives was shot about 2:45 p.m. while “on a contact.” Police didn’t release further details about what that meant and didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking more information. The detective was in stable condition, according to the social media post. The detective was taken to a hospital, was alert and talking, KIRO-TV reported.After 5 p.m., police said two juvenile males were in custody, that the scene was still active and an investigation was ongoing. The Associated Press

Vivek Ramaswamy takes center stage, plus other key moments from first Republican debate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

Eight Republican presidential candidates met on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night. Former President Donald Trump didn’t participate, of course. Given his big poll lead, he insisted that his presence would only help his lesser rivals. Instead, Trump sat down for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that was streamed online.By not going, Trump sought to undermine the significance of the debate. But his absence also offered his opponents an opportunity to break out with millions of voters watching. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s chief rival, had perhaps the most to gain — or lose. But several others were also positioned to take advantage of a strong debate showing on the national stage. Here are our early takeaways from an action-filled night: VIVEK GRABS THE SPOTLIGHTAt the center of the stage, and the center of the debate’s hottest exchanges, was a 38-year-old man who no one expected to be there even a few months ago – a novice...

UN Security Council, minus China and Russia, condemns Myanmar military’s killing of civilians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Members of the U.N. Security Council – minus China and Russia – condemned the “unrelenting violence” and killing of civilians in Myanmar and again urged its military rulers to stop attacks, release ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and respect human rights.Thirteen of the 15 council members on Wednesday backed a joint statement that said there had been “insufficient progress” on implementing the first-ever Security Council resolution on Myanmar that was adopted last December. In that 12-0 vote, China and Russia, which have ties to the military that seized power from Suu Kyi’s elected civilian government in February 2021, abstained along with India whose two-year term on the council has ended.Britain’s deputy U.N. ambassador James Kariuki read the statement, flanked by diplomats from the other countries, after the council was briefed at a closed meeting by U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths on his recent visit to Myanmar and by Assistant Secretary-General Kha...

The Fukushima nuclear plant is ready to release radioactive wastewater into sea later Thursday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

OKUMA, Japan (AP) — The operator of the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will begin releasing the first batch of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean later Thursday, utility executives said.Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings executive Junichi Matsumoto said its final preparations and testing have cleared safety standards and the release will begin in the early afternoon. The release will begin more than 12 years after the meltdowns of three reactors at the plant that was heavily damaged by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s northeastern coast on March 11, 2011. Radioactive water — both seeping groundwater and water used to cool the reactors — have accumulated at the site ever since, and TEPCO and the government say the mass quantities of the water have hampered the daunting task of removing the deadly toxic melted debris from the reactors.The final step before the release began Tuesday when just 1 ton of ...

The first 2024 Republican presidential debate is just about to wrap up. Follow live updates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Follow along for live updates on the first 2024 Republican presidential debate. The field’s early front-runner, Donald Trump, skipped the event and conducted an interview with Tucker Carlson instead.— GOP candidates tangle in Milwaukee as they vie to be the leading alternative to Trump — The key moments from Wednesday night’s debate — Trump attacks rivals in online interview with Tucker Carlson while skipping debate — Trump’s decision to back out tests Fox News’ ability to pivot again — The GOP presidential debate puts the spotlight on swing-state WisconsinAfter recent campaign stumbles, Ron DeSantis was expected to have to defend himself and project likeability on the debate stage — but he had done relatively little of either as the two-hour broadcast neared its end.The Florida governor instead seemed to take a back seat to more vocal candidates, speaking significantly less than biotech entrepreneur ...

Kyle Garlick goes 5 for 5 with game-winning double as St. Paul Saints beat Omaha Storm Chasers 6-4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

Kyle Garlick busted out of a hitting slump by going 5 for 5, including the game-winning hit in the ninth inning as the St. Paul Saints beat the Storm Chasers 6-4 on Wednesday night in Omaha, Neb.Garlick was 3 for 19 in his previous six games and just 5 for 32 in the month of August before last night. He raised his batting average 16 points, from .251 to .267.Edward Olivares’ two-run home run off Saints reliever Kody Funderburke in the eighth inning tied the game 4-4.In the ninth inning, Saints leadoff hitter Andrew Stevenson reached base on a one-out bunt single and stole second base. After Austin Martin popped out, Garlick hit a double to left field to score Stevenson. Garlick then scored on a single by Brooks Lee.Stevenson went 3 for 5 and also had a double as the Saints (27-20) gained a half-game on Lehigh Valley (29-18) and now trail the International League leaders by two games.Blayne Enlow started for the Saints and allowed one hit over two scoreless innings. Patrick Mur...

Survivors, loved ones call on Hochul to sign Fair Access to Victim Compensation Act

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Victims and survivors of crimes are eligible to receive funding through New York State under specific guidelines. Activists are now calling for those guidelines to be expanded, leading to easier access to funding.Right now, people can access money through the Office of Victim Services (OVS) to pay for things like medical bills, burial cost and crime scene clean up. But in order to get the money, they must report their incident to police within a week of it happening, and file their claim with OVS within a year. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson was shot in 2008. He said the week that followed his injury was difficult, made worse by being overwhelmed with the OVS process."Being in the hospital and the amount of paperwork that you had to fill out, and the amount of police you had to talk to, and to have things to be itemized - it was just nonstop," he said.The Fair Acces...

BTK killer named ‘prime suspect’ in unsolved cases in Missouri, Oklahoma

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:58 GMT

The BTK serial killer has been named the “prime suspect” in two unsolved killings — one in Oklahoma and another in Missouri — leading authorities to dig this week near his former Kansas property in Park City, authorities announced Wednesday.Osage County, Oklahoma, Undersheriff Gary Upton told The Associated Press that the investigation into whether Dennis Rader was responsible for additional crimes started with the re-examination last year of the 1976 disappearance of Cynthia Kinney, a 16-year-old cheerleader in Pawhuska. The case, which was investigated on and off over the years, was reopened in December.Sheriff Eddie Virden told KAKE-TV that a bank was having new alarms installed across the street from the laundromat where Kinney was last seen. Rader was a regional installer for ADT at the time, although the sheriff wasn't able to confirm that Rader installed the systems. He also was involved in Boy Scouts in the area.Virden said he decided to investigate when he learned...