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Biden’s pick for top WH economist faces Senate grilling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The job of chief White House economist is typically a wonky, low-profile one, with its occupant mainly tasked with producing analyses and poring over charts and graphs. But President Joe Biden’s next pick to lead the Council of Economic Advisers is bracing for a barrage of political attacks centered on how the White House has tackled inflation.Jared Bernstein is a longtime member of Biden’s inner circle who has served in top administration roles as well as progressive think tanks focusing on economic policy. Working first under vice president Biden and now in the Biden White House, Bernstein has long had an unparalleled ability to channel the president’s economic values.In his February statement announcing Bernstein’s nomination, Biden said, “He is an expert on worker empowerment and a worker-centric economic policy, which has long been the heart of my economic vision.”But that also makes Bernstein a target for Republican lawmakers.Frequentl...

Minnesota settles case against e-cigarette maker Juul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota announced a settlement Monday in its lawsuit against Juul Labs and tobacco giant Altria — the first of thousands of cases against the e-cigarette maker to reach trial — just ahead of closing arguments.The terms will be kept confidential until formal papers are publicly filed with the court in 30 days, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement.“After three weeks of trial highlighting and bringing into the public record the actions that JUUL and Altria took that contributed to the youth vaping epidemic, we reached a settlement in the best interest of Minnesotans,” Ellison said. “Right now, the terms of the final settlement are not public, but we will announce them soon. When we do, it will be alongside those harmed, the community, elected officials, and others responsible for protecting our children. Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press

South Africa ex-President Zuma’s graft trial postponed again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The corruption trial of former South African President Jacob Zuma was postponed again Monday as he seeks to have the lead prosecutor removed from the case by claiming he is biased.Zuma has already succeeded in getting a new judge to oversee his trial.Zuma, who turned 81 last week, has argued that prosecutor Billy Downer is biased against him and compromises the former leader’s right to a fair trial. Zuma is involved in a separate legal case against Downer and a journalist over the leaking of the ex-president’s medical records by state prosecutors.Zuma is facing multiple counts of corruption, as well as racketeering, fraud, tax evasion and money laundering, with some of the charges relating to bribes he is alleged to have taken from French arms manufacturing company Thales to provide political protection for an arms deal worth more than $1 billion signed by the South African government in 1999.Thales, which was then known as Thomson-CSF, is ...

Fox News-Dominion case delayed by judge without reason

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The Delaware judge overseeing a voting machine company’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News put off the opening of the trial Monday for one day, without any explanation.Lawyers for Fox and Dominion Voting Systems would not comment on Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis’ decision or on reports that settlement talks may be ongoing.Davis said that delays in a long trial are not unusual and are built into the timeline. Before ordering a recess, he talked briefly in a conference with attorneys representing Fox and Dominion.The closely watched case centers on whether Fox, which is based in New York, defamed Dominion, based in Denver, by spreading false claims that the company rigged the 2020 election against Republican then-President Donald Trump.David Bauder And Randall Chase, The Associated Press

EU investigates after 3 countries ban Ukraine grain imports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Slovakia became the third European Union country to ban food imports from Ukraine on Monday, deepening the challenge for the bloc as it works to help Ukraine transport its grain to world markets.Slovakia followed Poland and Hungary, both of which announced bans Saturday on Ukrainian food imports through June 30. They did so in response to rising anger from farmers who say that a glut of grain in their countries is causing them economic hardship.The EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, manages trade on behalf of the 27 member countries and objects to them taking unilateral or uncoordinated measures. At a briefing in Brussels, two spokespeople stressed gratitude to Poland and other Central European countries for supporting Ukraine, but said a solution must be found that respects the EU legal framework.“We are dealing with a war, right? And this war has consequences, obviously, on farmers and more generally, the population in Ukraine and the European Un...

Dutch intel agency paints grim picture of multiple threats

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

ZOETERMEER, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch national intelligence agency painted a grim picture Monday of a growing number of internal and external threats to the rule of law in the Netherlands compounded by Russia’s war in Ukraine, international cyberattacks and espionage.In its annual report, the General Intelligence and Security Service called China “the biggest threat to the Netherlands’ economic security.”The agency’s director-general, Erik Akerboom, said that China is targeting the Netherlands as an innovative country that develops new technology.“We see that every day they try to steal that from the Netherlands,” he told The Associated Press.“The Chinese use cyber as a weapon, cyber as a way to commit espionage, but they also send people to us — students, but also scientific persons of all kind to especially steal knowledge from very vulnerable places,” he said.The Netherlands earlier this year announced plans to impose additional restrictions on the export of ...

South Carolina trooper shot in face during traffic stop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

BAMBERG, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina trooper was shot in the face after pulling over a vehicle for speeding, authorities said.Lance Cpl. B.A. Frazier stopped the vehicle about 3:30 a.m. Sunday for going more than 20 mph (32 kph) over the speed limit on U.S. Highway 78 in Bamberg County, Highway Patrol spokesperson Heather Biance said.Another trooper chased the vehicle into neighboring Orangeburg County, where the driver crashed into a house, the Highway Patrol said in a statement. Frazier was wounded on the right side of the face. He is recovering in a hospital, Biance said. Authorities did not release any further information, including whether anyone in the house was hurt, the driver’s condition or whether the driver was arrested.The Highway Patrol said additional information will be released by the State Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating.Frazier has worked as a trooper for five years, authorities said.The Associated Press

Rogers to move 300 international Shaw call centre jobs to Western Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

Rogers Communications Inc. is relocating around 300 Shaw call centre jobs based overseas to Canada.The positions will be located in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba, contributing to Ottawa’s requirement that Rogers create 3,000 new jobs in Western Canada as part of its $26-billion acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc. earlier this month.It is also planning to hire 1,000 additional customer service representatives across the country.Rogers says all of its customer service positions have been based in Canada since 2020, making it the only national carrier committed to having its entire call centre team located within the country.Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri says the move means customers will be served by a team with “roots in the communities where they live and work.”The company plans to transition all overseas Shaw jobs by the end of September, with the first of those call centre positions in place by Canada Day.Rogers is the parent company of CityNews

Boy, 2, seriously injured after rollover crash on Southwest Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

CHICAGO — A 2-year-old girl was injured after a vehicle overturned in a crash on the city's Southwest side Monday morning.According to police, a traffic crash took place near the 3900 block of South Western Avenue where a gray sedan overturned. Police say the vehicle was traveling northbound before striking the center median. The woman, 23, who drove the sedan sustained minor injuries to the face and was transported to the hospital in fair condition. 2-year-old girl in serious condition after South Side car crash A 2-year-old boy also sustained trauma to the body and was transferred to Stroger Hospital in serious condition. Along with the driver and 2-year-old boy, there were also three adult passengers who sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Citations are pending, police said.

Man gets 2 life sentences in Gary bank robbery where retired Cook County deputy was killed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:17 GMT

GARY, Ind. (AP) — A northwestern Indiana man will spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of a security guard during a bank robbery.Hailey Gist-Holden, 28, of Gary was convicted by a jury and sentenced to two consecutive life terms, the U.S. attorney's office in Northern Indiana said Friday.Guard Richard Castellana, 55, of Tinley Park, Illinois, was ambushed and shot outside First Midwest Bank in Gary in June 2021. Castellana was a retired Cook County deputy working as the bank's security guard.About $9,000 was taken in the robbery.Gist-Holden was arrested about a week later near Valdosta, Georgia, after leading law enforcement there on a high-speed car chase. The government alleges he carried out the robbery to bail out his semipro football team, the Illini Panthers. Previous Coverage: Feds: Owner of semi-pro football team charged in murder of Gary bank security guard Authorities said Gist-Holden needed money to pay his players, thei...