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IMF approves crucial $3B bailout for bankrupt Sri Lanka

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The International Monetary Fund said Monday that its executive board has approved a nearly $3 billion bailout program for Sri Lanka over four years to help salvage the country’s bankrupt economy.About $333 million will be disbursed immediately and the approval will also open up financial support from other institutions, the IMF said.“Sri Lanka has been facing tremendous economic and social challenges with a severe recession amid high inflation, depleted reserves, an unsustainable public debt, and heightened financial sector vulnerabilities,” its statement quoted IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva as saying.“Institutions and governance frameworks require deep reforms. For Sri Lanka to overcome the crisis, swift and timely implementation of the EFF-supported program with strong ownership for the reforms is critical.”The approval will unlock financing of up to $7 billion from the IMF and other international multilateral financial institutio...

Cruise wants to test self-driving cars all over California

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle unit on Monday asked California for permission to test the cars across the entire state.The GM subsidiary already is running an autonomous ride-hailing service in its hometown of San Francisco after testing for more than two years. It doesn’t have specific plans yet to expand testing in California, but applying with the Department of Motor Vehicles is a step toward entering cities such as Los Angeles.“While this application doesn’t represent any immediate change to our testing or operations, we hope to continue working with the California DMV to safely and responsibly test our services in other cities in the future,” Cruise spokesman Drew Pusateri said in a statement.If granted, the test permit won’t allow Cruise to carry non-employee passengers outside of San Francisco. Testing could be done up to 55 miles per hour (88 kilometers per hour) statewide, Cruise said. Cruise also has been testing autonomous Chevr...

New law has Wyoming at forefront of abortion pill bans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming has pushed to the front of state efforts to prohibit the most common type of abortion by instituting the nation’s first explicit ban on pills that terminate pregnancies. In many states women can get abortion pills prescribed online and delivered to their homes. The ease and availability of pills have made that method the most popular way to end a pregnancy – more than half of all abortions are done with that method, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion access advocacy group.But 13 states now effectively ban abortion pills by prohibiting all forms of abortion, moves made after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling last year.Fifteen states restrict access to the pills. Of those, six — Arizona, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota and South Carolina — require a doctor to administer them in person. Arizona also bans mailing abortion pills. But before a law signed Friday by Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gor...

Russia to hold UN meeting on Ukraine kids taken to Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia plans to hold an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council in early April on what it said is “the real situation” of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, an issue that has gained the spotlight following the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to their abduction.Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told a news conference Monday that Russia planned the council meeting long before Friday’s announcement by the ICC. Russia holds the rotating presidency of the council in April.The court said it was seeking Putin’s arrest because he “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of (children) and that of unlawful transfer of (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”The announcement of the warrants for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, was welcom...

Outcry over understaffing across Chicago area nursing homes: 'Families deserve better'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

CHICAGO — Nursing home workers are sounding the alarm on what they called a matter of public safety: dangerously low staffing levels. "Illinois families deserve better," said Service Employees International Union regional president Greg Kelley about a push for federal legislation regulating nursing homes. City lawmakers have joined the fight, with the SEIU garnering support from Chicago Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. SEE ALSO | Staffing, quality, funding at center of Illinois nursing home legislation"That is not only good for these over-burdened workers, but it means it will save lives for nursing residents," Schakowsky said.The legislation that has President Joe Biden's backing would mandate an employee-to-resident ratio and one-on-one real-time care for elderly residents.Disproportionately, Schakowsky says Brown and Black residents receive less quality care. “We need to make sure that everyone...everyone has equal care in nursing homes," Schakowsky said.SEIU organizers say better s...

Owners of cheese factory found dead in Wisconsin home, son in custody

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

WOLF RIVER, Wis. (WFRV) — A husband and wife were found dead inside their central Wisconsin home on Saturday morning, and officials say they have the couple's son in custody.As of Monday morning, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two victims as husband and wife, 72-year-old David A. Metzig and 71-year-old Jan C. Metzig.David and Jan Metzig owned the Union Star Cheese Factory in Fremont, where they lived just minutes away. Offenders in custody after 2nd string of robberies in Rivers Casino, Mariano’s parking lot Deputies responded to the home in Wolf River around 5:15 a.m. on March 18, finding both David and Jan dead, stating that the deaths were 'suspicious in nature.'Not long after David and Jan were discovered, authorities took a person of interest into custody.Officials have yet to disclose how a person of interest was determined, however, the Winnebago County District Attorney's Office told WGN's Green Bay affiliate — WFRV — that the couple's 25-year-old...

Comedian Andy Kaufman to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Legendary comedian Andy Kaufman's legacy continues to grow almost 30 years after his passing.According to the WWE website, Kaufman will be inducted into the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame class, along side Rey Mysterio and The Great Muta."The rivalry between (WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler) and Kaufman became national news leading to a legendary exchange on 'Late Night with David Letterman,'" the WWE wrote. WWE leaning in to social media ahead of possible sale "Kaufman’s interactions with Lawler transformed the business and opened up pathways for future cross-over Superstars such as Johnny Knoxville who honored the comedian with his WrestleMania 38 ring gear."Kaufman was best known for his unorthodox style of stand-up comedy, as well as movies like "Taxi" and even being immortalized by Jim Carrey in 1999's "Man on the Moon."Andy Kaufman died at the age of 35 in the spring of 1985.The WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be streamed on Peacock on Friday, Ma...

Gusty SW winds push warmer temps and rainfall into the area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

A VERY SPRING-LIKE PATTERN WILL SET UP FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SPRINGRain will be likely Tuesday night through Thursday night with thunderstorms possible during that stretch.The low-pressure system that will bring the period of precipitation, is tough to see on the surface map, as it is just forming. The moisture that it will tap into, however, is quite easy to make out in this mid-level water vapor loop from the GOES East Satellite. Look for the GREEN that's streaming from the Pacific through the Southwest. It's on the way!NUMEROUS LOCATIONS REPORTED 40+ MPH WIND GUSTS MONDAY AFTERNOONMonday’s peak wind gustsGUSTY SW WINDS PUSH TEMPERATURES TO MORE SEASONABLE LEVELS FOLLOWING COLDEST WEEKEND SINCE LATE JANUARY4 PM Monday temperatures — 4 PM area wind gusts — How much warmer than same period Sunday afternoon?FORECAST RAINFALL THROUGH 7AM SATURDAY, MARCH 25Unsettled early spring weather pattern to bring numerous chances for rain in the coming weekHeaviest rainfall expected to fall ...

A Trump indictment would be unprecedented in US history. What we know so far

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

(AP) – The decision whether to indict former President Donald Trump over hush-money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign lies in the hands of a Manhattan grand jury that has been hearing evidence in secret for weeks.An indictment of Trump, who is seeking the White House again in 2024, would be an unprecedented moment in American history, the first criminal case against a former U.S. president.Law enforcement officials are bracing for protests and the possibility of violence after Trump called on his supporters to protest ahead of a possible indictment.An indictment could also test a Republican Party already divided over whether to support Trump next year, in part due to his efforts to undermine his 2020 election loss.Trump denies any wrongdoing and has slammed the Manhattan district attorney's office probe as politically motivated.Here's a look at the hush-money probe, grand jury process and possible ramifications for his presidential campaign:...

Indiana bill would help provide police bleeding control kits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:26 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana lawmakers want more law enforcement officers to carry tourniquets and other medical supplies to slow bleeding. Some agencies, such as the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, have had their officers carry tourniquet kits for years. Sgt. Genae Cook said they've been a vital tool. Buona, Rainbow Cone opening in Valparaiso "We've had numerous times where doctors have come to us afterwards and said because of the officer's fast reaction and the ability to put a tourniquet on, this saved this person's life," she said.Donations allowed IMPD to obtain the kits, Sgt. Cook said. All of the department's officers are trained on how to apply a tourniquet and have often used them to stop bleeding after car crashes and shootings, she added.Police are usually the first on the scene of an emergency, Cook said."Even though we're in the city, we still have a delay on medical care along with other areas based on the needs of ambulances," she said.Now Indiana lawmakers ...