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New Mexico Supreme Court upholds Democratic-drawn congressional map

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court upheld a Democratic-drawn congressional map that divvied up a conservative, oil-producing region and reshaped a swing district along the U.S. border with Mexico, in an order published Monday.All five justices signed a shortly worded order to affirm a lower court decision that the redistricting plan enacted by Democratic state lawmakers in 2021 succeeded in substantially diluting votes of their political opponents — but that the changes fell short of “egregious” gerrymandering.The Republican Party argued unsuccessfully that the new district boundaries would entrench Democratic officials in power, highlighting the 2022 defeat of incumbent GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell by Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez.Democratic state lawmakers argued that the 2nd District in southern New Mexico remains competitive, with just a 0.7% margin of victory in the 2022 election.The district is one of about a dozen in the national spotlight as Republica...

Pathways Alliance increasingly confident $16.5B carbon capture project will go ahead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

CALGARY — The oilsands industry group that has proposed building what would be one of the world’s largest carbon capture and storage projects says it is more confident than ever it will go ahead with construction.The Pathways Alliance is a consortium of Canada’s largest oilsands companies, which have banded together to propose a $16.5 billion carbon capture and storage network to decrease emissions from oilsands sites in northern Alberta.The group hasn’t yet made a final investment decision but has spent about $80 million on preliminary engineering, design and environmental work.Last week, the federal government provided additional details about its promised carbon capture investment tax credit, including a timeline for its finalization.It also promised that up to $7 billion will be allocated to special contracts intended to give companies the confidence they need to make major investments to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.Pathways president Kendall Dilling s...

Roommates sue Maryland county over death of pet dog shot by police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

Roommates who sued a Maryland county Monday claim police officers illegally entered their apartment without a warrant, detained them at gunpoint without justification and unnecessarily shot their pet dog, which was left paralyzed and ultimately euthanized.The dog, a boxer mix named Hennessey, did not attack the three officers who entered the apartment before two of them shot the animal with their firearms and the third fired a stun gun at it, according to the dog owners’ federal lawsuit.The lawsuit seeks at least $16 million in damages over the June, 2, 2021, encounter, which started with Prince George’s County police officers responding to a report of a dog bite at an apartment complex where the four plaintiffs lived. What happened next was captured on video from police body camera and a plaintiff’s cellphone.Two officers went to the plaintiffs’ apartment to look for the dogs reportedly involved in the biting incident. A maintenance worker gave police a mast...

As Mexico marks conservation day, advocates say it takes too long to list vulnerable species

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Residents of Mexico’s Caribbean reef island of Banco Chinchorro near Belize have hunted the meat and salmon-pink shells of queen conch for generations. As populations have shrunk in recent decades, Mexico has enforced limits and bans on catching the shellfish.The species has continued to decline despite these measures, which included a blanket five-year ban on catches in 2012. Still, the queen conch is one of many vulnerable species not included on Mexico’s national endangered species list. As Mexico’s environment agency celebrates the country’s biodiversity during Thursday’s national conservation day, conservationists say the government’s own registry for endangered species is too short and too slow to update.Despite a legal requirement to review and update the list at least every three years, there have been no updates since August 2019. In the meantime, species like the queen conch have lacked federal environmental protection and moved steadil...

Video shows suspect fire several gunshots outside Vaughan business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

Police in York Region are hoping to identify a suspect who fired multiple gunshots at a business in Vaughan – an incident that was captured on surveillance footage.Authorities were called to the business around 5 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26, in the area of Langstaff Road and Staffern Drive. Officers arrived at the scene and found several vehicles in the parking lot had been struck by bullets. No injuries were reported.Video surveillance shows one suspect approaching the storefront on foot before firing multiple rounds at the business. The suspect then flees on foot, but police believe they eventually left the area in a four-door white sedan with tinted windows. No suspect description was provided by investigators. An image of the white sedan has been released.

Book Review: ‘Welcome to The O.C.’ serves as a definitive look-back at the 20-year-old Fox drama

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

“California, here we come.”The refrain from the Phantom Planet tune “California” that served as the theme song for “The O.C.” welcomed viewers to Fox’s short-lived but much-loved prime-time soap that focused on a group of teenagers and parents navigating the emotional ups and downs of life in affluent Newport Beach.Now, 20 years after the show’s debut, Rolling Stone TV critic Alan Sepinwall is taking readers “right back where we started from” in a splendid retrospective that relies on the memories of those who brought the show’s 96 episodes to life.“Welcome to The O.C.” — the title references a memorable line from the pilot (minus a not-so-friendly word that punctuates the sentiment) — features recollections from creator Josh Schwartz, executive producer Stephanie Savage, the show’s stars, Fox executives and many more.The oral history serves as a definitive look-back at the four-season series that introduced “Chrismukkah” (a celebration of both Christmas and Hanukkah in the blended ...

MUST-WATCH: Would you like fries with that?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

Welcome to the MUST-WATCH, home of the MUST-WATCH, can I interest you in the Top 10? Could the sequel to the Good Burger take the top spot? Or could it go to an animated comedy starring Adam Sandler? Perhaps a recut miniseries of a classic 2000s film from down under? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!WishWhere to watch: CinemasFirst things first, it’s time for a new Disney film!Wish is a new animated film starring Ariana DeBose (from West Side Story) and Chris Pine (from Star Trek). She plays a young woman called Asha living in a Mediterranean kingdom ruled over by Pine’s character, King Magnifico. He has the ability to grant wishes to anyone who wishes upon a star, but only grants one a month. When Asha learns that he’s hoarding all these wishes, she makes her own wish which surprisingly brings down an actual star. The two team up to figure out how to grant everyone’s wish, and get the power-hungry King out of the Kingdom. This film also stars Al...

Don’t broaden handgun freeze exemption, firearm-control advocates tell senators

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

OTTAWA — Proponents of tougher firearm restrictions are urging senators not to broaden an exemption for Olympic athletes from the federal handgun freeze to include a wider range of sport shooters.When they introduced gun-control legislation last year, the federal Liberals announced a plan to implement a freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns to help reduce firearm-related violence.Federal regulations aimed at capping the number of handguns in Canada are now in effect.Businesses can still sell to exempted individuals, including elite sport shooters who compete or coach in handgun events recognized by the international Olympic or Paralympic committees.Gun-control advocates including the group PolySeSouvient say in a letter to Senate committee members studying the bill that expanding the exemption would put the interests of recreational sport shooters who want to buy new handguns ahead of public safety.A representative of the National Association of Wom...

Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’ pulled until next week as host recovers from surgery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

First this fall, another round with COVID-19 shuttered Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.” Now the show is again sidelined as the host recovers from a burst appendix.The comedian revealed on social media Monday that he’s recovering after surgery, wiping out planned shows for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. “Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas,” he joked.Colbert had a busy three shows planned, including guests Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer, the return of former bandleader Jon Batiste and Barbra Streisand was to take “The Colbert Questionert.”In mid-October, Colbert contracted COVID-19 and had to cancel a week’s worth of shows, although he hosted one from his home, like he did during the pandemic. The Associated Press

Contract between Puerto Rico’s government and coal-fired plant operator leaves residents in the dark

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:10:42 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A proposed amended contract between Puerto Rico’s government and the operator of a coal-fired power plant accused of contaminating low-income communities on the island drew scrutiny Monday during a heated public hearing.Environmentalists and lawyers demanded to see the redacted details of the proposed amendments sought by AES Puerto Rico LP as they accused officials during the hearing held by Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau of withholding key information that would affect those living in the U.S. territory.“It can say anything under those blackouts,” said Víctor Alvarado, environmental affairs secretary for the Puerto Rican Independence Party.“This is like a blank check,” added Myrna Conty Hernández, an environmentalist and community leader.If approved, the amended contract would go into effect Dec. 1. It is expected to lead to an increase in power bills that are already among the highest of any U.S. jurisdiction and award more money to a company that has co...