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Energy interests and environmentalists fight Biden oil lease plan from different sides

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Biden administration’s plan to protect an endangered species of whale by scaling back an auction of oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico is being challenged by the oil industry, even as environmentalists go to court to stop the lease sale altogether.The conflicting federal lawsuits, one filed Thursday in Louisiana by oil interests, the other announced Friday in Washington by the organization Earthjustice, focus on a planned sale of oil and gas leases set for Sept. 27 in New Orleans. As originally proposed in March, the sale was to cover more than 73 million acres. That area was reduced to 67 million acres this week when the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced final plans for the sale. The revision, which also includes new speed limits and requirements for personnel on industry vessels, dovetails with measures announced by the administration on Monday to protect the endangered Rice’s whale in the Gulf. The adoption of those meas...

Fire breaks out at Louisiana refinery; no injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

GARYVILLE, La. (AP) — Residents within two miles of a south Louisiana refinery were ordered to evacuate Friday after a fire broke out that sent huge plumes of black smoke into the sky, authorities said.No injuries were reported.St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard ordered the mandatory evacuation of those living near the Marathon Petroleum facility in Garyville as a precaution “even though we have been assured that all impacts are contained to the facility.”“There’s a large smoke plume over the area, and we just want to make sure that our residents are safe,” Hotard said during a news conference. “It’s alarming to see what’s going on. I understand residents’ concerns. It’s a little scary. We recommend you take the evacuation seriously in case there are impacts.”Emergency responders said the fire was contained to the refinery’s property, and no injuries have been reported. Air monitoring is also taking place as a precaution, official...

The descendants of a British owner of slaves in Guyana apologize as Caribbean seeks reparations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — The descendants of a 19th-century Scottish sugar and coffee planter who owned thousands of slaves in Guyana apologized Friday for the sins of their ancestor, calling slavery a crime against humanity with lasting negative impacts.Charles Gladstone, a descendant of former plantation owner John Gladstone, traveled to Guyana from Britain with five relatives to offer the formal apology.“It is with deep shame and regret that we acknowledge our ancestors’ involvement in this crime and with heartfelt sincerity, we apologize to the descendants of the enslaved in Guyana,” he told an audience at the University of Guyana.”In doing so, we acknowledge slavery’s continuing impact on the daily lives of many.”Neither Guyana President Irfaan Ali, who on Thursday demanded reparations and lashed out at the descendants of European slave traders, nor other senior government officials were in the audience of a couple hundred students, university staff members and repr...

Appellate judges revive Jewish couple’s lawsuit alleging adoption bias under Tennessee law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Appellate judges have revived a couple’s lawsuit that alleges a state-sponsored Christian adoption agency wouldn’t help them because they are Jewish and argues that a Tennessee law protecting such denials is unconstitutional. On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the state Court of Appeals ruled that Elizabeth and Gabriel Rutan-Ram have the right as taxpayers to sue in the case, as do six other taxpayer plaintiffs in the case. The ruling overturns a lower court’s determination in June 2022 that none of them had legal standing. The case can now proceed in the trial court.The lawsuit against the state challenges a 2020 law that installed legal protections for private adoption agencies to reject state-funded placement of children to parents based on religious beliefs.Much of the criticism of the law focused on how it shielded adoption agencies that refuse to serve prospective LGBTQ parents. But the Rutan-Rams alleged they were discriminated again...

Man wanted in alleged armed robbery in downtown Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

Toronto police are searching for a man wanted in an alleged armed robbery in downtown Toronto.Investigators say two people were sitting on a bench in the area of Yonge Street and Adelaide Street East on August 13 when they were approached by a man around 5 p.m. The suspect indicated he had a gun in his bag before grabbing a gold chain from around one of the victim’s necks and fleeing the scene on foot. The suspect is described as being between 25 to 30 years of age with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a light blue and grey hoodie, orange knee length jeans and carrying a black satchel worn across his body with a strap over the right shoulder. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

US official voices hope North Macedonia will be able to proceed with EU membership bid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A senior State Department official on Friday voiced hope that North Macedonia will be able to approve politically difficult constitutional changes that would help its bid to join the European Union.Gabriel Escobar, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Balkan policy, said during talks in the capital Skopje that the U.S. strongly backs the country’s EU accession bid.North Macedonia has agreed, following pressure from neighboring EU member Bulgaria, to amend its constitution and include Bulgarians in a long list of ethnic groups formally listed as living in the country.But while Parliament started the amendment process last week, it looks unlikely that it will be completed due to strong reactions from the conservative main opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE.Following talks with North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, Escobar said he was “very excited” that the process had started. “I hope it will continue,” he added.The amendment — which wou...

US Forest Service rejects expansion plans of premier Midwest ski area Lutsen Mountains

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service said Friday it has rejected the expansion plans of Lutsen Mountains, one of the premier skiing destinations in the Midwest.Lutsen Mountains was hoping to expand onto 495 acres (193 hectares) of public land in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota so it could add more runs, lifts and other facilities and essentially double its skiable terrain in the Sawtooth Mountains along the north shore of Lake Superior. It’s one of the largest ski areas in the Midwest, with a vertical rise of 1,088 feet (326 meters) and 95 runs.In rejecting the permit application, the Forest Service cited impacts on tribal resources such as sugar maple stands, negative effects for users of the Superior Hiking Trail and backcountry skiers, and other impacts to the environment.The company has until Oct. 10 to file objections. It asked the Forest Service last month to defer a decision indefinitely while it consulted with three Ojibwe tribes that hol...

Tornado confirmed as Michigan storms with 75 mph winds down trees, power lines; five people killed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — At least one tornado touched down in Michigan as part of severe storms powered by winds of up to 75 mph (121 kph) that downed trees, tore roofs off buildings and killed five people while leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without power, officials said.The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed that an EF-1 tornado with winds of 90 mph (145 kph) crossed from Ingham County into the western edge of adjacent Livingston County on Thursday night.Preliminary information shows that after entering Livingston County, the tornado remained on the ground for a mile or less before “weakening and lifting,” said Dave Gurney, a meteorologist with the weather service’s office in Oakland County’s White Lake Township.In western Michigan, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said a 21-year-old woman and two girls, ages 1 and 3, died Thursday night after two vehicles collided head-on as it was raining.“There was two vehicles traveling toward each ...

Trudeau in Okanagan to meet firefighters as final travel ban lifted for Kelowna area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

WESTBANK FIRST NATION, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in the Okanagan region in the B.C. Interior to meet with firefighters, volunteers and officials involved in the area’s wildfire fight.He started the day at the Westbank First Nation, discussing the firefighting operation with Loyal Wooldridge, who is board chair of the Central Okanagan Regional District.Trudeau met with Chief Robert Louie as well as West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom and Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas.Almost 200 homes were lost or damaged around Lake Okanagan in the past week.   Two major blazes are being held by firefighters, but the McDougall Creek fire threatening West Kelowna remains out of control.Trudeau asked officials about the morale of residents.His visit comes after the last travel restriction for the Okanagan was lifted, alongside evacuation orders within the City of Kelowna, following recent rainfall.B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said in a statement late Thursday...

Federal officials are warning airlines to keep workers away from jet engines that are still running

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:43:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal safety regulators are citing recent incidents, at least one of them fatal, in warning airlines to make sure that workers keep their distance from jet engines until they are powered off.The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it issued a safety alert to prevent workers from being injured while towing planes or guiding them to and from terminal gates.The FAA said airlines should review their safety programs to make sure they follow practices including keeping workers clear of planes until they are stopped and chocks are placed under the wheels.The warning was prompted by “multiple events” in which workers were injured or killed during ground operations at airports.The FAA bulletin cited two incidents, including the death of a ramp worker who was pulled into an engine of an American Eagle plane parked at a gate at the airport in Montgomery, Alabama. The Labor Department has proposed $15,625 in penalties against the worker’s employer, Piedmont Airlines,...