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Japan asks China to urge citizens to halt harassment after start of Fukushima wastewater release

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida asked China on Monday to urge its citizens to halt acts of harassment, including crank calls and stone throwing at Japanese diplomatic facilities and schools, in response to Japan’s release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.“I must say it is regrettable,” Kishida said. He said Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Masataka Okano summoned China’s ambassador, Wu Jianghao, to ask that Chinese people act calmly and responsibly.The release of the treated wastewater into the ocean, which began Thursday and is expected to continue for decades, has been strongly opposed by fishing groups and by neighboring countries. China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood in response. In South Korea, thousands of people joined rallies over the weekend to condemn the discharge.Acts of harassment including crank phone calls and stone throwing have targeted Japan’s embassy and consu...

March 4 trial date set for Trump in federal case charging him with plotting to overturn election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge has set a March 4 trial date for Donald Trump in the federal case in Washington charging the former president with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election.The decision from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied a defense request to push the trial back until April 2026, about a year and a half after the 2024 election, but also sets it later than the January date proposed by special counsel Jack Smith’s team.Chutkan made it clear to both sides at the outset of Monday’s status conference that she considered neither proposal acceptable.“These proposals are obviously very far apart,” she said. “Neither of them is acceptable.”Trump, a Republican, was charged earlier this month in a four-count indictment with scheming to undo his loss to Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the 2020 election.The federal election subversion prosecution is one of four criminal cases against Trump. Smith’s team has brought a separate federal case accusing him of illegally r...

Judge sets March 4 trial date for Trump in federal case accusing him of plotting to overturn results of 2020 election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Judge sets March 4 trial date for Trump in federal case accusing him of plotting to overturn results of 2020 election.Source

March on Washington 60th anniversary: How a march for jobs and freedom changed lives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

This photo provided by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture shows crowds participating in the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963. (Aaron Stanley Tretick/Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture via AP)(AP/Aaron Stanley Tretick) This photo provided by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture shows crowds participating in the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963. (Aaron Stanley Tretick/Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture via AP)(AP/Aaron Stanley Tretick) Thousands turned out in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Aug. 26, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. The 1963 Ma...

The US Open has started. Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Novak Djokovic and Frances Tiafoe are in action

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

FILE - Frances Tiafoe serves against Serbia's Filip Krajinovic during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 29, 2023. Tiafoe is one of the men to watch at the U.S. Open, which begins at Flushing Meadows on Aug. 28.(AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)(AP/Aurelien Morissard) FILE - Frances Tiafoe serves against Serbia's Filip Krajinovic during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 29, 2023. Tiafoe is one of the men to watch at the U.S. Open, which begins at Flushing Meadows on Aug. 28.(AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)(AP/Aurelien Morissard) NEW YORK (AP) — The season...

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to call on Democrats to codify ‘Obamacare’ into state law

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will call on state lawmakers this week to pass legislation proactively protecting key provisions in the Affordable Care Act, including no-cost preventive services, as the nation’s health law continues to face legal challenges in federal court.Whitmer, who is in her second term and working for the first time with a Legislature under complete Democratic control, will call for a plan to codify the Affordable Care Act during a speech Wednesday where she will outline her legislative priorities for the second half of the year.It comes as one of the Affordable Care Act’s most popular provisions that requires insurers to cover preventive services faces a threat in federal court.Writing the Affordable Care Act into state law will ensure Michigan residents “aren’t at risk of losing coverage,” due to future threats, Whitmer said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.The plan, according to the governor’s office, mu...

Need to know about lifesaving CPR? A new study says it’s probably wise not to ask Alexa or Siri

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

Ask Alexa or Siri about the weather. But if you want to save someone’s life? Call 911 for that.Voice assistants often fall flat when asked how to perform CPR, according to a study published Monday.Researchers asked voice assistants eight questions that a bystander might pose in a cardiac arrest emergency. In response, the voice assistants said:— “Hmm, I don’t know that one.”— “Sorry, I don’t understand.”— “Words fail me.”— “Here’s an answer … that I translated: The Indian Penal Code.”Only nine of 32 responses suggested calling emergency services for help — an important step recommended by the American Heart Association. Some voice assistants sent users to web pages that explained CPR, but only 12% of the 32 responses included verbal instructions.Verbal instructions are important because immediate action can save a life, said study co-author Dr. Adam Landman, chief information officer at Mass General Brigham in Boston. Chest compressions — pushing down hard and fast on the victim’s c...

As Idalia nears, Florida officals warn of ‘potentially widespread’ gas contamination: What to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida officials are warning drivers of potential fuel contamination at dozens of gas stations on the Gulf Coast as residents brace for the landfall later this week of Tropical Storm Idalia.On Monday, Idalia was near the coast of Cuba and on a potential track to come ashore as a hurricane in the southern U.S. in the coming days, the National Hurricane Center said. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said late Sunday that gasoline purchased after 10 a.m. Saturday at some Citgo-supplied stations had a strong likelihood of being contaminated with diesel fuel. Citgo identified 29 affected stations — sold at chains like 7-Eleven, BJ’s Wholesale and other convenience stores — in cities including Tampa, Fort Myers, Sarasota and more.The contamination was caused by “human error,” the department said. In a Sunday statement, the Houston-headquartered Citgo cited a product routing issue at its Tampa terminal. Those locations with potentially co...

Second man dies following weekend shooting in downtown Louisville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky (AP) — A second man has died following a weekend shooting near a Louisville, Kentucky, restaurant and bar in which several other people were injured, authorities said.Officers arrived at the scene in downtown Louisville around 3 a.m. Sunday and found one man dead and five people who had been wounded, Police Maj. Shannon Lauder said. One of the wounded — a man — later died at a hospital, Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a news conference.The other four people who were wounded suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and man who wasn’t shot was hurt in a fall, according to media reports.Police haven’t arrested anyone, and Lauder urged anyone with information to come forward.There were 200-300 people in the area at the time of the shooting, which occurred outside the Southern Restaurant & Lounge.Greenberg said he and the building’s landlord have worked together to end the establishment’s lease, which will take effect Thursday.“We will enforce our laws and ord...

Capitals add president of hockey operations to Brian MacLellan’s title along with general manager

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:10:25 GMT

Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan talks during media availability at the team's NHL hockey training camp, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)(AP/Nick Wass) Washington Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan talks during media availability at the team's NHL hockey training camp, Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)(AP/Nick Wass) The Washington Capitals have promoted Brian MacLellan to president of hockey operations to go along with his general manager duties.MacLellan has been the team’s GM since 2014 and previously held the title of vice president. The move announced Monday comes with longtime president Dick Patrick being appointed chairma...