Today: September 23, 2024
Today: September 23, 2024

World

World

UN requires delegates at climate talks to reveal affiliation in effort to curb lobbying by Big Oil

The United Nations will require delegates attending its annual climate summit to disclose their affiliation in an effort to clamp down on undue influence by fossil fuel companies and others, officials said Thursday. Climate campaigners have long complained that the so-called Conferences of the Parties, or COPs, are undermined by lobbyists for oil and gas firms attending under the guise of country delegates. Participants will also be asked to provide optional information on their relationship with the government agency or organization that’s nominated them and those declining to do so will be flagged accordingly. Civil society groups

June 15, 2023
UN requires delegates at climate talks to reveal affiliation in effort to curb lobbying by Big Oil
World

Support mounts for Stoltenberg to stay on in NATO's top job

Support mounted on Thursday for NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to have his mandate at the head of the world’s biggest security organization extended yet again as Denmark’s prime minister ruled herself out of the running. Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has been NATO’s top civilian official since 2014. His term was due to expire last year but was extended to keep a steady hand at the helm after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts are due to choose a successor when they meet for a summit

June 15, 2023
Support mounts for Stoltenberg to stay on in NATO's top job
World

Live updates | UCLA's Morales jumps to early lead at US Open

Follow along for live updates on the opening round of the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. ___ Omar Morales, who attends college just up the way at UCLA, has grabbed an early share of the lead in the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. The 20-year-old sophomore went around the front nine in 3-under 32. The Bruins have access to LACC about twice a month, and Morales, who went through local qualifying to make the 156-man field, estimates he’s played it about two dozen times in his two years at UCLA. He

June 15, 2023
Live updates | UCLA's Morales jumps to early lead at US Open
World

Nathan Carman dies awaiting trial for his mother's death in 2016 fishing trip off New England

The man charged with killing his mother at sea during a 2016 fishing trip off the coast of New England in what prosecutors say was a scheme to inherit millions of dollars has died, federal authorities said Thursday. Nathan Carman, 29, of Vernon, Vermont, was scheduled to face trial in October. He had pleaded not guilty last year to fraud and first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Linda Carman of Middletown, Connecticut. The eight-count indictment also says Carman shot and killed his wealthy grandfather John Chakalos at his home in Windsor, Connecticut, in 2013

June 15, 2023
Nathan Carman dies awaiting trial for his mother's death in 2016 fishing trip off New England
World

Nuggets ready to celebrate their 1st NBA title with parade through the streets of downtown Denver

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are assembling for a parade Thursday through downtown Denver to celebrate their first NBA title. There’s rain in the forecast but nothing can dampen the festive mood as swarms of fans line the streets in a celebration that culminates at Civic Center Park. This has been a long time in the making. It took 47 seasons in the NBA for the franchise to finally make Denver the home of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Nuggets capped off an impressive postseason by beating the Miami Heat in the Finals on Monday night

June 15, 2023
Nuggets ready to celebrate their 1st NBA title with parade through the streets of downtown Denver
World

Nigeria lets market set currency exchange rate to stabilize economy, woo investors

Nigeria’s central bank has ended its distorted foreign exchange rate, a move the new government in Africa’s biggest economy hopes will help woo investors and stabilize the local currency. The announcement Wednesday from the Central Bank of Nigeria led to a record fall in the value of the naira currency to 755 per U.S. dollar. It has since recovered some. The move reflects the changes that new President Bola Tinubu has pledged to make to strengthen the ailing economy, analysts said. He also has removed the head of the central bank following divisive policies and ended

June 15, 2023
Nigeria lets market set currency exchange rate to stabilize economy, woo investors
World

Wildfires driven by climate change are on the rise - Spain must do more to prepare, say experts

Spain must do more to prepare for increasingly virulent wildfires stoked by climate change, a large group of the country’s leading wildfire prevention experts said on Thursday. A declaration backed by 60 experts and institutions said the “increasingly intense fires … are producing unprecedented ecological and social consequences.” The experts concluded that Spanish society must come to terms with the emergencies that it will likely face, given that wildfires in increasingly hot and dry conditions in the Iberian Peninsula are often “beyond the capability (of firefighters) to extinguish” with their own means. The declaration was the

June 15, 2023
Wildfires driven by climate change are on the rise - Spain must do more to prepare, say experts
World

Lionel Messi scores, gets hugged by a fan during Argentina's 2-0 win over Australia

Lionel Messi got hugged by a fan who ran onto the field wearing a No. 10 Argentina shirt Thursday during a 2-0 friendly win over Australia in which the World Cup champion scored the fastest goal of his career. Messi was standing near the corner flag in the second half when the fan ran onto the field and embraced him. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner appeared to be surprised as the fan approached, but then put his arm around the interloper’s back before security guards quickly moved in. The fan bolted across the field and high-fived Argentina

June 15, 2023
Lionel Messi scores, gets hugged by a fan during Argentina's 2-0 win over Australia
World

Steelers QB Kenny Pickett enters Year 2 focused on the details

Kenny Pickett spent his first few months in the NFL intentionally buried on the Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart, coach Mike Tomlin’s way of trying to ease the pressure on a young quarterback saddled with the outsized expectations that come with being a first-round pick at the most important position in the game. A year later, a lot has changed. Pickett is no longer running with the scout team. And a strong finish to his rookie season has Pickett entering his second year in the league seemingly in full command of a Steelers offense that believes it can

June 15, 2023
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett enters Year 2 focused on the details
World

A Missouri doctor's death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities aren't talking

John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother. His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual discovery of his body in an Arkansas lake — has led many to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the

June 16, 2023
A Missouri doctor's death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities aren't talking
World

Man indicted in chokehold death of New York subway rider Jordan Neely, prosecutor confirms

A grand jury has indicted a man who put an agitated New York City subway rider in a fatal chokehold, prosecutors confirmed Thursday. Daniel Penny was initially charged with manslaughter last month in the May 1 death of Jordan Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator who struggled in recent years with homelessness and mental illness. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the grand jury voted to indict, adding the specific charges will be unveiled at a scheduled June 28 arraignment. Penny had initially been charged with manslaughter in the second degree, which carries

June 16, 2023
Man indicted in chokehold death of New York subway rider Jordan Neely, prosecutor confirms
World

MLB to start months-long approval process for Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas

Major League Baseball will start a months-long approval process for Oakland Athletics’ proposed move to Las Vegas, which appears set to become the second shift of a franchise in the last half-century. A day after the Nevada Legislature approved $380 million in public financing for a ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred bemoaned the team’s inability to obtain a new stadium in Oakland and defended A’s owner John Fisher, who has maintained public silence. “I feel sorry for the fans in Oakland. I do not like this outcome. I understand why they

June 16, 2023
MLB to start months-long approval process for Oakland Athletics' move to Las Vegas
World

Diversity study finds percentage of Black MLB players at another record low

An annual study reviewing diversity hiring for Major League Baseball reported a record low of Black players on opening day rosters for the second straight year. Thursday’s report card from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida issued an overall grade of C-plus, with a B for racial hiring and a C for gender hiring. The report examined a range of positions at MLB’s headquarters and within franchises using data collected by the league from March shortly before the start of the 2023 season. Those grades were similar to the previous year, when the league had

June 16, 2023
Diversity study finds percentage of Black MLB players at another record low
World

Sam Bankman-Fried could face 2 criminal trials, with prosecution on some charges delayed until 2024

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried may face two criminal trials after a federal judge on Thursday granted a request by prosecutors to delay a trial on some of the charges until next year. Bankman-Fried faces trial in October on charges brought against him last year. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in Manhattan set a March 11 trial date for him on newer charges filed three months ago. Kaplan chose to schedule two trials after prosecutors said they will only go ahead with the newer charges if authorities in the Bahamas — where Bankman-Fried was first arrested — agree

June 16, 2023
Sam Bankman-Fried could face 2 criminal trials, with prosecution on some charges delayed until 2024
World

A nun commends Dodgers' handling of Pride Night controversy; some archbishops call it blasphemy

Devout baseball fans might view their teams’ performance as heavenly or hellish, depending on the quality of play. Currently, it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers’ handling of their annual Pride Night — not the team’s record — that has provoked emotional reactions from religious people, including prominent faith leaders, Catholic nuns, and even the team’s All-Star ace. Indeed, three high-ranking U.S. Catholic leaders this week suggested the team had committed blasphemy. The Dodgers have been holding Pride Nights for 10 years, but this year’s edition — taking place Friday night — became entangled last month in a high-profile controversy. Under a

June 16, 2023
A nun commends Dodgers' handling of Pride Night controversy; some archbishops call it blasphemy
World

Fowler, Schauffele break US Open record with 62s at Los Angeles Country Club

Rickie Fowler can always say he was the first to shoot 62 in the U.S. Open. But only by about 15 minutes. Xander Schauffele soon matched him on the North course at Los Angeles Country Club with an 8-under 62 of his own, making Thursday a most extraordinary day for scoring in the major known as the toughest test in golf. The tough part was keeping track of their birdies. “It’s not really what you expect playing a U.S. Open,” Schauffele said. “But monkey see, monkey do. Was just chasing Rickie up the leaderboard. Glad he

June 16, 2023
Fowler, Schauffele break US Open record with 62s at Los Angeles Country Club
World

Agricultural producers and food businesses throught nation getting $320M boost from USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeding agricultural producers and food businesses with millions of dollars in investment funds to improve markets, create and strengthen jobs, control food prices and improve nutrition, Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday. “We’re here to underscore the important role that local and regional food systems play for American agriculture and farmers, and to announce $320 million of variety of loans and grants which are designed to strengthen the supply chain, to make the food system more resilient and to create a number of opportunities for mid- and small-size operators,” he said.

June 16, 2023
Agricultural producers and food businesses throught nation getting $320M boost from USDA
World

15 people, mostly seniors, killed in highway crash in Canada, official says

A bus carrying mostly seniors collided with a semi-trailer truck at a highway intersection in a rural part of the province of Manitoba on Thursday, killing 15 people and injuring 10 more, Canadian police said. Rob Hill, Commanding Officer of the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said the bus was carrying 25 people and authorities are deploying all their resources in the province to the scene. Ten people were taken to hospitals. TV broadcasters aired images of what looked like a large van or bus smoldering in a ditch near a transport truck with a smashed engine

June 16, 2023
15 people, mostly seniors, killed in highway crash in Canada, official says
World

Ex-NYC Mayor de Blasio ordered to pay $475K for misusing public funds on failed White House bid

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was ordered Thursday to pay $475,000 by a city ethics board that found he misused public funds on a police security detail during his failed presidential bid. The hefty fine is the largest ever handed out by New York’s Conflicts of Interest Board, capping off a yearslong investigation into the two-term mayor’s use of taxpayer dollars to cover the travel costs of NYPD officers who accompanied him on cross-country campaign stops. Under the ruling, which he has vowed to appeal, de Blasio, a Democrat, will be forced to

June 16, 2023
Ex-NYC Mayor de Blasio ordered to pay $475K for misusing public funds on failed White House bid
World

MLB commissioner suspects many pitchers are using banned sticky stuff

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred thinks the use of banned sticky stuff is more widespread than the three pitchers ejected this season for illegal grip aids. “I am sure that out of an abundance of caution and good judgment, umpires have had questionable situations that they decided: just not quite sure,” Manfred said Thursday following an owners meeting. “And I am 100% certain they err on the side of no violation.” New York Mets pitcher Drew Smith was suspended for 10 games Wednesday, a day after he was ejected. That followed similar bans for Mets teammate Max

June 16, 2023
MLB commissioner suspects many pitchers are using banned sticky stuff
World

June temperatures briefly passed key climate threshold. Scientists expect more such spikes

Worldwide temperatures briefly exceeded a key warming threshold earlier this month, a hint of heat and its harms to come, scientists worry. The mercury has since dipped again, but experts say the short surge marked a new global heat record for June and indicates more extremes ahead as the planet enters an El Niño phase that could last years. Researchers at the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Thursday that the start of June saw global surface air temperatures rise 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels for the first time. That is the threshold

June 16, 2023
June temperatures briefly passed key climate threshold. Scientists expect more such spikes
World

Fired Amazon union organizer in Alabama reinstated after filing a complaint, union says

A union organizer who was fired by Amazon was reinstated by the company after she filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, according to the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The union had said earlier this month that Jennifer Bates, who also testified before a Senate committee at a hearing on income inequality, was terminated while tending to injuries she received while working at an Amazon facility in Bessemer, Alabama. The labor group had also said Amazon refused to make workplace adjustments for Bates, who was outspoken about workplace safety issues at the company. “If there’s a

June 16, 2023
Fired Amazon union organizer in Alabama reinstated after filing a complaint, union says
World

Bill Cosby accusers seek to expand time frames for lawsuits by sex-assault victims

A group of women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault and were dismayed when he had his conviction overturned and left prison are trying again to seek justice in the courts, by urging states to give them more time to pursue civil damages. More than a dozen women have sued the actor and comedian since his June 2021 release, including nine who brought cases Wednesday in Nevada, weeks after successfully lobbying to eliminate the statute of limitations for adult survivors in the state. They join advocates who battled the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts and other

June 16, 2023
Bill Cosby accusers seek to expand time frames for lawsuits by sex-assault victims
World

Miami Heat, NBA investigating allegation that Conor McGregor assaulted a woman at Finals game

The NBA and the Miami Heat are investigating an allegation that former UFC champion Conor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman inside an arena bathroom after Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The woman’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell, said her client has provided Miami police with the clothing she was wearing that night and that a report was filed. McGregor’s attorney said the fighter denied any wrongdoing. “Mr. McGregor will not be intimidated,” said the attorney, Barbara Llanes. In letters sent to the NBA, the Heat and McGregor’s representatives, Mitchell detailed her client’s allegations and said the client would

June 16, 2023
Miami Heat, NBA investigating allegation that Conor McGregor assaulted a woman at Finals game
World

DeChambeau: 'Not as much tension' at US Open after PGA Tour-LIV partnership

Bryson DeChambeau can feel the mood lightening in the locker room and on the course just one week after the PGA Tour and LIV Golf ceased hostilities. DeChambeau shot a 67 in his opening round at the U.S. Open on Thursday, leaving the long-hitting 2020 champion tied for third among the morning half of the draw behind record-setters Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, who each shot 62. This Open at Los Angeles Country Club is the first major since the stunning announcement of the partnership between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The Saudi Arabia-backed competition

June 16, 2023
DeChambeau: 'Not as much tension' at US Open after PGA Tour-LIV partnership

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