Today: September 24, 2024
Today: September 24, 2024

World

World

Charitable giving in 2022 drops for only the third time in 40 years: Giving USA report

Charitable giving in the United States declined in 2022 — only the third time in four decades that donations did not increase year over year — according to the Giving USA report released Tuesday. Total giving fell 3.4% in 2022 to $499.3 billion in current dollars, a drop of 10.5% when adjusted for inflation. The decline comes at a time when many nonprofits, especially ones providing services to those in need, report an increase in requests for help. However, Josh Birkholz, chairman of the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes the report and provides data and insights

June 20, 2023
Charitable giving in 2022 drops for only the third time in 40 years: Giving USA report
World

Vatican document highlights need for concrete steps for women, 'radical inclusion' of LGBTQ+

An unprecedented global canvassing of Catholics has called for the church to take concrete steps to promote women to decision-making roles, for a “radical inclusion” of the LGBTQ+ community and for new accountability measures to check how bishops exercise authority. The Vatican on Tuesday released the synthesis of a two-year consultation process, publishing a working document that will form the basis of discussion for a big meeting of bishops and laypeople in October. The synod, as it is known, is a key priority of Pope Francis, reflecting his vision of a church that is more about

June 20, 2023
Vatican document highlights need for concrete steps for women, 'radical inclusion' of LGBTQ+
World

Build begins on Wyoming-to-California power line amid growing wind power concern

Portrait photographer Anne Brande shoots graduation and wedding engagement photos at scenic spots throughout southeastern Wyoming’s granite mountains and sprawling sagebrush valleys, but she worries what those views will look like in a few years. Wind energy is booming here. “Dandelions in my yard, you know, when there’s four or five, it’s OK,” Brande said. “When my whole yard is dandelions, I’m just not too excited.” In a state where being able to hunt, fish and camp in gorgeous and untrammeled nature is a way of life, worries about spoiled views, killed eagles and disturbed big-game

June 20, 2023
Build begins on Wyoming-to-California power line amid growing wind power concern
World

How a Mexican spiritual leader preserves the sacred knowledge of the volcano known as El Popo

Moisés Vega has a distinctive job: The 64-year-old Mexican says he can speak the sacred language of volcanoes to ask for good weather and a good crop. Mexico lowered the alert level on the Popocatépetl volcano by early June after its eruptions of gas and ash had drawn the attention of the international community. For Vega, though, the 17,797-foot (5,425-meter) mountain, known as El Popo, is a living being that never fades from his sight. “The Popocatépetl is our father and the Iztaccíhuatl is our mother,” he said, referring to a neighboring volcano. “They are providers

June 20, 2023
How a Mexican spiritual leader preserves the sacred knowledge of the volcano known as El Popo
World

Finland swears in a new government seen as its most right-wing in modern history

Finland swore in a new coalition government on Tuesday that is seen as the most right-wing in the Nordic country’s modern history. The 19-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, the leader of the conservative National Coalition Party, was approved by the Eduskunta legislature, after which President Sauli Niinistö appointed it. Following lengthy talks over seven weeks, the NCP, which won the most seats in the April 2 general election, announced a deal last Friday with three other parties to form a governing coalition that includes the far-right euro-skeptic Finns Party, which follows a largely nationalist and

June 20, 2023
Finland swears in a new government seen as its most right-wing in modern history
World

Slovakia's first female president won't seek reelection next year

Slovakia’s first female president said Tuesday that she won’t seek reelection in next year’s presidential vote. President Zuzana Čaputová said the announcement was one of the “toughest” she has made. She said that after a serious assessment of her options, she came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t have enough strength left for another five-year term. “We all know that the last four years were linked to crises,” Čaputová said, citing the coronavirus pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and soaring inflation. She said those were the most difficult years of her life. “I

June 20, 2023
Slovakia's first female president won't seek reelection next year
World

Warren Buffett's firm raises stakes in Japanese trading houses as Nikkei hot streak continues

Billionaire Warren Buffett is upping his bet on Japan, announcing this week that Berkshire Hathaway will increase its ownership stake in five major Japanese trading houses. The first Berkshire Hathaway investment in Itochu Corp., Marubeni Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co. and Sumitomo Corp., a 5% stake, was disclosed in 2020 and earlier this year Buffett said that the stake had been increased to 7.4%. Ownership in the companies, Berkshire said this week, has reached 8.5% excluding shares of treasury stock. The trading houses are some of Japan’s oldest and biggest companies and hold investments in

June 20, 2023
Warren Buffett's firm raises stakes in Japanese trading houses as Nikkei hot streak continues
World

MLB to stage Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field next June honoring Willie Mays

Major League Baseball will stage a Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 20, 2024, between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. The 10,800-seat stadium, opened in 1910, is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and a National Historic Site. The stadium was home to the Birmingham Black Barons from 1924-60. The game will honor Hall of Famer Willie Mays, a Birmingham native who began his professional career with the team in 1948. MLB said Tuesday it is staging the game around the Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates

June 20, 2023
MLB to stage Negro Leagues tribute game at Rickwood Field next June honoring Willie Mays
World

A Titanic expert, an adventurer, and a father and son are among the passengers on missing sub

A renowned Titanic expert, a world-record holding adventurer and two members of one of Pakistan’s wealthiest families are facing critical danger aboard a small submersible that went missing while descending to the world’s most famous shipwreck. The submersible Titan was reported overdue Sunday night about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to Canada’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center, spurring a desperate international rescue effort. As of Tuesday morning about 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometers) of the Atlantic Ocean had been searched, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Rescuers were racing against the clock

June 20, 2023
A Titanic expert, an adventurer, and a father and son are among the passengers on missing sub
World

Taliban carry out 2nd known public execution since seizing power in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers Tuesday carried out what is believed to be the second confirmed public execution since the religious group took power in 2021, according to the country’s Supreme Court. The court had sentenced to death a man identified only as Ajmal from the capital Kabul who was found guilty of murdering five people in two separate incidents last year. The execution was carried out with an assault rifle by the son of Siad Wali, one of five men killed by Ajmal. It took place outside a mosque near the offices of the provincial governor in eastern

June 20, 2023
Taliban carry out 2nd known public execution since seizing power in Afghanistan
World

Paris Olympics could join a longer list of Games marred by scandal

The news that French law enforcement officials are looking into possible corruption in awarding contracts for the Paris Olympics threatens to place those Games on the ever-growing list of Olympics that have been tarnished by scandals. A look at notable bidding scandals of the 21st century: SALT LAKE CITY, 2002 — Possibly the most wide-ranging bidding scandal of all time resulted in the removal of 10 members of the International Olympic Committee and a complete overhaul of the bidding process. The first whiff of scandal came in 1998 when a letter emerged suggesting the Salt Lake City bid committee was

June 20, 2023
Paris Olympics could join a longer list of Games marred by scandal
World

Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleads not guilty to 9 gun charges

New England Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to nine counts of weapons violations in connection with his arrest at a Logan Airport security checkpoint with two loaded guns in his carry-on bag. Jones was charged with two counts each of unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a large-capacity magazine and possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card. He was also charged with an airport security violation. Jones was released on a $30,000 cash bail pending an Aug. 18 probable cause hearing, his attorney, Rosemary Scapicchio, said. Scapicchio said Jones

June 20, 2023
Patriots defensive back Jack Jones pleads not guilty to 9 gun charges
World

Texas power grid asks customers to cut electricity use as heat wave scorches southern US

Texas’ power grid operator asked residents Tuesday to voluntarily cut back on electricity due to anticipated record demand on the system as a heat wave kept parts of the state and southern U.S. in triple-digit temperatures. In neighboring Oklahoma, more than 100,000 customers were eagerly awaiting the restoration of power and air conditioning following weekend storms that downed trees and snapped hundreds of utility poles. Officials say at least one person in Oklahoma has died because of the prolonged outages, which could last into the weekend for some residents. The request in Texas marked the first

June 21, 2023
Texas power grid asks customers to cut electricity use as heat wave scorches southern US
World

Lionel Messi is expected to make his Inter Miami debut July 21

Lionel Messi is expected to make his Major League Soccer debut with Inter Miami at a July 21 home game, the team confirmed Tuesday. Owner Jorge Mas told selected outlets on Monday that his club and Messi have agreed to terms and are finalizing paperwork and a visa. The team confirmed certain details Tuesday to The Associated Press, including that Messi will be signing a contract through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026. Messi’s contract will be worth $50 million to $60 million per year, the team said Tuesday. He cannot sign

June 21, 2023
Lionel Messi is expected to make his Inter Miami debut July 21
World

Man with hit-and-run history jailed after high-speed crash kills five young women in Minneapolis

A man who served a hit-and-run sentence in a California prison until his release earlier this year remained jailed Tuesday, awaiting charges after a crash killed five young women in Minneapolis when a speeding driver blew past a state trooper, ran a red light and slammed into their car. Derrick John Thompson, 27, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, was evaluated at a hospital and then booked into the Hennepin County Jail on Monday in the aftermath of Friday’s crash. The victims — Salma Abdikadir, Siham Adam, Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade and Sagal Hersi — were all between 17

June 21, 2023
Man with hit-and-run history jailed after high-speed crash kills five young women in Minneapolis
World

Company says it can't say for sure whether more air-bag inflators might explode and hurl shrapnel

A company that makes air-bag inflators that have exploded in eight incidents involving two deaths and seven injuries argued Tuesday that it can’t say for sure whether its inflators might cause further such incidents. In a reply to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company, ARC Automotive of Knoxville, Tennessee, said that even adhering to industry quality standards cannot fully eliminate the risk of occasional failures in which the air-bag inflators might explode and spew shrapnel. NHTSA has demanded that ARC recall 67 million inflators in driver and passenger front air bags from at least a

June 21, 2023
Company says it can't say for sure whether more air-bag inflators might explode and hurl shrapnel
World

Mystery solved? Wembanyama listed at 7-foot-4, but check back later in September

The tall task of determining Victor Wembanyama’s height isn’t finished yet. The expected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft might be 7-foot-4. Maybe not, though. While the league is listing him at that height in the draft guide on its media website, it’s not official. Check back in September. That’s the deadline for the San Antonio Spurs — assuming they take Wembanyama with the first pick as expected Thursday night — to submit an official height for him without shoes to the league. Wembanyama’s height listed in the draft guide falls in the middle of

June 21, 2023
Mystery solved? Wembanyama listed at 7-foot-4, but check back later in September
World

Thousands take to the streets in Colombia to protest leftist government's reforms

Thousands of people marched in Colombia on Tuesday to voice their frustration with President Gustavo Petro’s government and its attempts to make sweeping changes to the nation’s health and pension systems, and its labor laws. The protests were held as Colombia’s first leftist president struggles to keep his coalition in congress together and sees a slump in his approval ratings as violence between rebel groups grows in some parts of the country. A corruption scandal involving two members of Petro’s inner circle has also put the government on the defensive, with the president now fighting allegations

June 21, 2023
Thousands take to the streets in Colombia to protest leftist government's reforms
World

Cuban officials conclude Russia trip with agreements on oil, wheat, and renewed tourism

Cuba said Tuesday it is reaffirming its alliance with Russia through a series of agreements considered key for the island nation, including on the supply of oil, the sale of wheat and the resumption of flights between both countries that were halted by the war in Ukraine. The agreements between two longtime allies facing economic sanctions from the United States were the result of a recent visit by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero to Russia and were disclosed Tuesday by Gerardo Peñalver, Cuba’s vice minister of foreign affairs, in an interview with state-run Cubadebate website. “There

June 21, 2023
Cuban officials conclude Russia trip with agreements on oil, wheat, and renewed tourism
World

TCU ends Oral Roberts' surprising run with 6-1 win and will face Florida next at CWS

TCU used a four-run fifth inning to take control of the game and went on to beat Oral Roberts 6-1 in a College World Series elimination game Tuesday, ending the Golden Eagles’ surprising postseason run. The Horned Frogs (44-23) will play Florida next and would need to defeat the No. 2 national seed Wednesday and again Thursday to reach the best-of-three finals. TCU avenged Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Golden Eagles and has won two straight to put itself in position to play for its bracket title. “We’re playing in Omaha and in an elimination game,”

June 21, 2023
TCU ends Oral Roberts' surprising run with 6-1 win and will face Florida next at CWS
World

Tornadoes clobber Mississippi. Hours later, its governor attends Republican fundraiser in Alabama

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves traveled to Alabama for a Republican fundraising event as people in his state were still reeling from back-to-back tornadoes that killed one person, injured dozens and destroyed homes and businesses, and in the midst of lingering power outages from severe thunderstorms. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Reeves headlined a Republican Governors Association fundraiser on Monday at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Birmingham, according to an invitation obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. Ticket prices ranged from $5,000 for one person to $50,000 for four people. Reeves is policy chairperson for the RGA

June 21, 2023
Tornadoes clobber Mississippi. Hours later, its governor attends Republican fundraiser in Alabama
World

World well short of pace needed to meet UN's 2030 sustainable development goals

The world is falling well short of the progress needed to meet the United Nations’ sustainable development goals by 2030 in areas ranging from poverty to clean energy to biodiversity, with a growing gap between wealthy and developing nations, according to a report Tuesday from the nonprofit tracking the goals. The coronavirus pandemic stalled the limited progress made in the years after United Nations member states adopted the goals in 2015. Now, halfway through the 15-year time frame, not a single one of the goals is on target to be met. “We’re at the risk of a lost decade for

June 21, 2023
World well short of pace needed to meet UN's 2030 sustainable development goals
World

Yankees say Aaron Judge appears to respond to second toe injection

Aaron Judge appears to be responding to a second platelet-rich plasma injection to his right big toe yet has not resumed baseball activities. Judge was hurt June 3 when he ran into a wall while making a catch at Dodger Stadium. The Yankees announced the first injection on June 6 and said Judge had another last Thursday. “I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday’s series opener against Seattle. “He’s been slowly doing better and able to do more things, but do feel like hopefully that was the start of him

June 21, 2023
Yankees say Aaron Judge appears to respond to second toe injection
World

Twitter employees sue social media company over bonuses they say weren't paid despite promises

Employees are suing Twitter over tens of millions of dollars in bonuses they say the social media company failed to pay despite promises it would. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco claims that in the month’s leading up to billionaire Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company, executives including former finance chief Ned Segal “repeatedly” promised employees that 50% of their 2022 bonuses would be paid. The lead plaintiff, Mark Schobinger, served as Twitter’s senior director of compensation until last month. Lawyers for the plaintiff are seeking class action status on behalf of current and former Twitter

June 21, 2023
Twitter employees sue social media company over bonuses they say weren't paid despite promises
World

Hawaii volcano stops erupting, putting an end to stunning lava show

The nearly two-week eruption of a Hawaii volcano, one of the most active in the world, has come to a pause, scientists said. After a three-month hiatus, Kilauea began erupting again June 7 — displaying fountains of glowing red lava without threatening any communities or structures. Crowds of people flocked to the Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which offered safe views of the lava. Scientists declared the eruption paused again Monday when it rapidly declined in the afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said. Still, some lava continues to flow on the crater floor,

June 21, 2023
Hawaii volcano stops erupting, putting an end to stunning lava show

Follow