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Point of no return: Pope challenges leaders at UN talks to slow global warming before it’s too late

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis shamed and challenged world leaders on Wednesday to commit to binding targets to slow climate change before it’s too late, warning that God’s increasingly warming creation is fast reaching a “point of no return.”In an update to his landmark 2015 encyclical on the environment, Francis heightened the alarm about the “irreversible” harm to people and planet already under way and lamented that once again, the world’s poor and most vulnerable are paying the highest price.“We are now unable to halt the enormous damage we have caused. We barely have time to prevent even more tragic damage,” Francis warned.The document, “Praise God,” was released on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the pontiff’s nature-loving namesake, and was aimed at spurring negotiators to commit to binding climate targets at the next round of U.N. talks in Dubai.Using precise scientific data, sharp diplomatic arguments and a sprinkling of theological reasoning, Francis delivered a mor...

Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. Here’s what’s next

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)(AP/Stephanie Scarbrough) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)(AP/Stephanie Scarbrough) WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives is entering uncharted territory after a far-right effort to remove fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy from the speakership succeeded thanks to support from Democrats.A resolution — titled a motion to vacate — from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., passed Tuesday with the s...

Biden anuncia otros $9,000 millones en una nueva condonación de préstamos estudiantiles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

El presidente Joe Biden anunció otra ola de condonaciones de préstamos federales para estudiantes el miércoles, mientras los prestatarios se preparan para que los pagos se reanuden después de una pausa de tres años que comenzó durante la pandemia de COVID-19.La nueva medida beneficiará a 125,000 prestatarios al eliminar $9,000 millones en deuda a través de programas de ayuda existentes. En total, 3.6 millones de prestatarios habrán dejado de asumir $127,000 millones en deuda desde que Biden asumió el cargo.Biden prometió ayudar a aliviar la carga de la deuda estudiantil mientras se postulaba para presidente, y ha estado bajo presión para cumplirlo a pesar de que su plan original fue anulado por la mayoría conservadora de la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos. CNBC: Inician los pagos de préstamos estudiantiles por primera vez desde 2020 Termina la moratoria del pago de las deudas estudiantiles: lo que debes saber La Casa Blanca explic...

15-year-old victim identified in deadly shooting at Southlands Mall in Aurora

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Authorities have released the name of the teenager shot and killed Saturday night in an Aurora shopping center parking lot.Officials say 15-year-old Raphael Velin is the victim.Detectives say the incident was part of a pre-planned meetup between Velin and the suspects at the Southlands shopping center.The suspect vehicle has been found. Police are still looking for four to five males in connection with the case. Officials said there is no threat to the public. Teen accused of shooting man who tracked down stolen car Classmates say Velin attended Vista Peak Preparatory High School in Aurora. "They made an announcement saying that he passed away, I think on Saturday before homecoming," sophomore Josiah told FOX31. Josiah said some students wore Velin's favorite colors to school in tribute."A lot of people were, like, wearing white and black. It was a group thing," Josiah said.Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stopp...

Kaiser Permanente strike begins Wednesday, several pharmacies close

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Time has run out, and with no agreement reached between Kaiser Permanente and the health care workers' union, a three-day strike will begin.On Wednesday morning, Kaiser, the largest nonprofit private health care provider in both Colorado and the U.S., announced several pharmacies and other services will be closed during the strike. Kaiser Permanente workers speak ahead of potential strike The two sides had until Wednesday to come to an agreement, and nothing has been reached.So, a strike will happen from Oct. 4 at 6 a.m. to Oct. 7 at 6 a.m.More than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers, 3,000 in Colorado, will protest unfair labor practices and unsafe staffing levels at hundreds of Kaiser hospitals and facilities across the U.S. This strike will be the largest health care worker strike in U.S. history.Kaiser pharmacies closed during the strikeThe following pharmacies will be impacted by the strike. Denver/Boulder areaBaseline (Boulder), Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Ke...

Denver weather: Sunny and seasonal Wednesday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — After some morning clouds, mostly sunny skies will return by Wednesday afternoon with mild highs near 70 degrees in the Denver weather forecast.Weather today: Plenty of sunshineEarly clouds will clear by the afternoon on Wednesday with winds staying light. Snow beginning to fall in Colorado’s high country High temperatures will make it into the upper 60s and low 70s, keeping Denver just below average.Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on Oct. 4 Weather tonight: Clear skies and coolThe skies will be full of stars on Wednesday night. There will also be light winds and crisp lows that end up in the lower 40s.Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on Oct. 4 Looking ahead: Chilly end of the week, mild weekendThursday afternoon keeps the mainly sunny skies in the forecast with below-average highs in the upper 60s. Friday finishes off the workweek with a mix of sun and clouds with cooler highs in the lower 60s. This is the fastest-selling license plate in Colorado history ...

Close call: Lightning strike narrowly misses wildlife expert in Everglades City

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. — A bolt of lightning struck just inches away from a wildlife expert while he was filming a promotional video in the Everglades. The incident was posted on Instagram by Forrest Galante, a Discovery Channel host, last week. “I got hit. I felt it. Yeah, I got hit,” said Galante in the video. “Yeah, that hurt, it just hurt.” While he was in the middle of a product review, Galante was interrupted by a lightning strike that left him visibly shaken. His colleagues responded in shock, asking, “Really?” and “Holy [expletive].” The caption on the Instagram video read, “Just a couple of days ago I was out in the Everglades filming a gear review when lightning hit the water 20 or so feet behind me and I got fully zapped! I still have a weird metallic taste in my mouth!”Despite the close call, he reassured everyone in the video.“I’m OK. [Expletive] it,” Galante said. The bolt of lightning missed ...

Rishi Sunak scraps northern leg of HS2 rail line

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

LONDON — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the remaining leg of the long-planned High Speed Rail 2 project has been scrapped. HS2, a multibillion pound high-speed rail route meant to connect Leeds, Birmingham, and Manchester to London, was announced by then-Prime Minister David Cameron in 2013.Originally meant to connect the North of England to the capital of London, Sunak announced on Wednesday that “the rest of the HS2 project” will be canceled, referring to everything beyond a line from London to Birmingham in the West Midlands which is already under construction.In his speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, the prime minister said the remaining £36 billion earmarked for HS2 will instead be reinvested in “hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands, across the country.”Announcing the changes, Sunak said: “I say to those who backed the project in the first place, the facts have changed, and the right thing to do whe...

Rishi Sunak deploys his secret weapon: His wife, Akshata Murty

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

The political spouse is back.Akshata Murty made a surprise appearance at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester Wednesday, hyping up her husband Rishi Sunak and cracking jokes in a bid to humanize the U.K. prime minister, who is trailing in the polls.Taking the stage before Sunak’s own speech, Murty — businesswoman and daughter of a major Indian IT tycoon — described the pair as “one team,” and riffed on Sunak’s public image as a geeky technocrat.She confirmed Sunak “does love a good rom-com, the cheesier the better,” but quipped that episodes of Netflix hit Emily in Paris “are not informing his outlook on the EU.”In the most openly political part of her speech, the PM’s other half said her husband’s outlook could be summed up with one word — “aspiration” — and insisted he would not shy away from telling hard truths.She recalled being struck when the pair met 20 years ago by Sunak’s “deep lo...

Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., the first hero of Camden Yards, excited by resurgence of 2023′s ‘fun, fun team’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:24 GMT

When Cal Ripken Jr. played in the first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1992, he was the defending American League Most Valuable Player and the face of Baltimore’s franchise. That game marked his 1,574th straight, well on his way to breaking Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games — and doing so, in 1995, at Camden Yards.He no longer goes to the ballpark each and every day. But the iconic Ironman, who played in 2,632 straight games, has found himself there more this season than he did a few years ago, entertained by the exciting Orioles.Ripken was the first hero of Camden Yards. Now, he has a front-row seat to the best Orioles team the ballpark has seen, at least as far as the win-loss record is concerned, as they’ve amassed nail-biting wins and memorable moments during a splashy 2023 campaign.“They are a fun, fun team to watch,” he said.Ripken is one of baseball history’s heroes and is uniquely heralded in Baltimore. “...