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Sen. McConnell says he plans to serve his full term as leader despite questions about his health

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is “fine” since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday. And now his office is trying to tamp down speculation that he might not fill out his term as leader because of his health.In a statement, his office said McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues and “plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do.”The statement, first reported by Politico, comes after McConnell, 81, has suffered health problems in recent months. At his weekly press conference, he froze and stared vacantly for about 20 seconds before his GOP colleagues standing behind him grabbed his elbows and asked if he wanted to go back to his office. He later returned to the news conference and answered questions as if nothing had happened.When asked about the episode, he said he was “fine,” a statement he repeated in a hallway to reporters later that day. Neither McCo...

Offshore wind foes sue New Jersey and Danish turbine developer over tax break

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — Opponents of offshore wind projects are suing New Jersey and the Danish wind energy developer Orsted over a lucrative tax break the state approved for the company, saying it is illegal because the law was written to benefit only one entity.The lawsuit was filed Thursday by two residents’ groups that are opposed to offshore wind projects and three electricity customers from Ocean City who seek to overturn the law. They say it gives Orsted about $1 billion in tax relief for one of the two windmill projects it plans to build off the state’s southern coast.The state Legislature passed a bill allowing Orsted to keep federal tax credits that it was obligated to pass along to ratepayers. In applying for permission to build the project, called Ocean Wind I, Orsted had promised to return such credits to customers.Lawmakers who narrowly approved the bill said the aid was needed to help Orsted deal with inflation and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pan...

Travis Scott drops ‘Utopia,’ his first album since the Astroworld festival tragedy

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Travis Scott has released “Utopia,” his first album in five years and his first major release since 10 people died at his 2021 Astroworld music festival.The star-studded 19-track “Utopia” features Beyoncé, SZA, Drake, Sampha, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Future, Bon Iver, James Blake, Kid Cudi, 21 Savage, and many more.The LP, Scott’s fourth full-length, was originally announced back in 2020 and follows 2018’s “Astroworld.” In November 2019, 10 people died as a result of compression asphyxia during a massive crowd surge during Scott’s Astroworld festival. A grand jury declined to file charges against Scott earlier this year.The first track from the album, the popetón -adjacent “K-pop”, was released on July 21 and features the Weeknd and Bad Bunny. The release spans genres — an eclectic mix of autotune ambient ballads (“My Eyes”), ferocious bars (“Looove”), futuristic trap (“Lost Forever,̶...

Europe’s banks could survive a drastic economic downturn, stress test shows

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe’s banking sector could withstand a severe economic downturn without depleting their financial buffers against losses, the European Central Bank said Friday.A survey of 98 large and medium-sized banks done by the ECB’s supervisory arm in conjunction with the European Banking Authority showed that even in the most adverse scenario — a fall of almost 10% in economic outpoint over three years — banks would still have enough capital to cover losses and then some. The stress test was not a pass-fail exercise for banks in the 20 countries that use the euro currency. Rather, results for individual banks will be used by banking regulators in determining how much capital they need to hold in reserve.Banks are crucial to the European economy because companies get most of their financing from them, instead of from financial markets — the opposite of the situation in the U.S. The ECB took over supervision of the biggest banks after the eurozone debt c...

IOC assures Ukraine fencer of Paris Games spot after DQ for not shaking hands with Russian opponent

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — The IOC assured Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan on Friday that she will have a place at the Paris Olympics next year after she was disqualified from a key ranking event for refusing to shake hands with a Russian she had beaten.In a letter to Kharlan, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said it would make a “unique exception” by allocating her an extra place to ensure she competes in Paris.“It is admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation,” wrote Bach, who like Kharlan is a former Olympic champion in a fencing team event. Each Olympic sport has a strict quota for athletes within the IOC-imposed 10,500 overall total at the Summer Games in Paris.A protected entry for the 32-year-old Kharlan, a four-time Olympic medalist, has now been found after controversy over her disqualification at the world championships on Thursday marred the event at Milan, Italy.The incident between Kharlan and her Russian opponent — Anna Smirnova, who was c...

Police officer reaches milestone in recovery from critical wounds in Louisville bank shooting

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Flashing a thumbs-up to his well-wishers, a police officer who was critically wounded while responding to a mass shooting at a Louisville bank in April was discharged from the hospital on Friday after enduring multiple surgeries and intensive therapy.Louisville Metro Police Officer Nickolas Wilt now gets to sleep in his own bed and enjoy the steak dinner he requested, his brother Zack Wilt told reporters.Nickolas Wilt was shot in the head during the deadly shooting on April 10 at Old National Bank in downtown Louisville. He has a “long road” ahead of him in his recovery, but he’s shown steadfast resilience and determination every step of the way, his brother said. The officer’s favorite catch-phrase during his rehabilitation: “Let’s boogie-woogie.”“He wants to get back to it,” Zack Wilt said shortly before his brother’s discharge from Frazier Rehabilitation Institute, an acute rehab hospital in Louisville. “He was a 26-year-old, v...

LIVE meteorologist Q&A: Friday's heat advisories, warnings and severe weather risk

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

CHICAGO WEATHER LIVE — Most of the Chicago area is currently under a heat advisory or excessive heat warning, while all of the region sits in an enhanced risk for severe weather.WGN meteorologist Demetrius Ivory is taking the time to take your questions on WGN's interactive, weather-centric livestream Chicago Weather Live. It will begin at 1 p.m. within this story, hosted by WGN News Now's Chip Brewster. Friday Forecast: Dangerous heat, evening storms likely Have a weather-related question for Demetrius? Send it in during the show through the form below and we'll do our best to get you an answer.Submit a form.

Friday Forecast: Dangerous heat, evening storms likely

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

CHICAGO — Thunderstorms moved through the Chicago area Friday morning, with more rounds for potentially severe weather in the forecast in the evening. LIVE meteorologist Q&A: Friday’s heat advisories and severe weather risk A risk for severe storms is possible in the late afternoon and evening hours, along with hot and humid conditions. High tempertures reach 96 degrees. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here The latest warnings and advisories issued:A Heat Advisory is in effect across the area until 9 p.m. and an Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for 9 p.m. for the areas in pink. An Air Alert Advisory has been issued until midnight across the area.Mostly cloudy conditions are expected tonight with a severe storm threat between 4 p.m. and midnight. Damaging winds and hail are possible. Low temperatures hit 71 degrees.SATURDAY FORECAST: Morning thunderstorm chance, decreasing clouds, N 5-15. High: 81/77The City of Chicago Of...

An East Coast seafood restaurant is coming to Chicago

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

CHICAGO — A taste of New England will be coming to Chicago in the next few months - and they're moving into a very visible location. Legal Sea Foods, which is based in Boston and has locations on the East Coast, will be opening its first restaurant in downtown Chicago this winter. They'll be at 315 N. Dearborn Street in the space that was previously occupied by Dick's Last Resort, overlooking the Chicago River. No official opening date was given by the company. The restaurant will feature two levels with indoor and outdoor dining above the river along with a few private dining rooms. Legal Sea Foods will be located next to Smith and Wollensky, which is owned by its parent company PPX Hospitality Brands. This comes after they established a "virtual kitchen" at that restaurant in 2020 to gauge interest in the brand. Naturally, there was enough to open up a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the city. "We are thrilled to bring Legal Sea Foods to Chicago," said Legal Sea Foods president and...

Tim McGraw bringing 'Standing Room Only' tour to Chicago

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:15:42 GMT

CHICAGO — Country music singer Tim McGraw announced Friday his 2024 "Standing Room Only" tour.The 33-city tour will kick off in March of next year — and includes a stop at Chicago's United Center on May 31.FULL LIST OF TOUR DATES HEREThe "Standing Room Only" arena tour, which is named after McGraw's upcoming album, will feature special guest Carly Pearce.Tickets are set to go on sale on Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. on LiveNation.com. Fans can go to timmcgraw.com to sign up for notifications.