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To counter China, US trade rep seeks closer ties to allies

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is pressing its case for a new approach to global trade, arguing that America’s traditional reliance on promoting free trade pacts failed to anticipate China’s brass-knuckled brand of capitalism and the possibility a major power like Russia would go to war against one of its trading partners.In a speech Wednesday at American University, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is calling for a strategy of what’s known as “friend-shoring’’ — building up supply chains among allied countries and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals such as China. Rising tension with Beijing and supply-chain bottlenecks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on Chinese suppliers.“Trade should work for the common good and help set responsible standards on labor, the environment, and other priorities that reflect American values,” Tai says in excerpts of her speech provided in advance to reporters. “It shou...

What Biden’s ‘junk fee’ crusade could mean for travelers

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

U.S. presidents don’t usually wade into the minutiae of airline seat selection, yet that’s exactly what President Joe Biden did during his State of the Union Address earlier this year, spending nearly two minutes of the speech decrying “junk fees.”“We’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round-trip for a family just to be able to sit together,” Biden said during the speech. “Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage.”The past decade has seen an explosion in the sophistication with which airlines, hotels and vacation rentals earn additional revenue through add-on fees. Yet travelers, and the politicians who represent them, may have had enough.“Consumers have been fed up with this for some time,” says Lauren Wolfe, counsel at traveler advocacy group Travelers United and founder of the website KillResortFees.com. “Americans shouldn’t have to deal with deceptive drip pricing,” Wolfe added, referring to the practice in which fees are added thr...

Foreign veterinarians save sick elephant at Pakistani zoo

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Veterinarians said they performed a critical procedure to save a sick elephant at a zoo in southern Pakistan on Wednesday. Noor Jehan, 17, was brought to Karachi with three other elephants more than a dozen years ago. Videos of her leaning her head against a tree and struggling to stand have caused alarm in Pakistan. The elephant is experiencing a number of health issues, including arthritis.An eight-member team from the Austrian animal welfare organization Four Paws did the complex procedure with the help of a crane and a fire truck.“We nearly lost her when we gave her sedation, but luckily we had all the necessary preparations, and Noor Jehan stood up again,” said Dr Amir Khalil, who led the team. The experts did an ultrasound and found a large hematoma in her abdomen, which is affecting her organs. “The good news is that there is treatment for this, but it requires a lot of work and some luck in the coming days,” Khalil said. “However, Noor Jehan is...

Severe warnings, watches issued across Chicago area Wednesday

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

CHICAGO — A number of severe watches and warnings are in effect across the Chicago area Wednesday and expected to last much of the morning.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the entire Chicago until 11 a.m.a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Aurora, Elgin and Carpentersville until 7 a.m.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Crystal Lake, Algonquin IL and Lake in the Hills until 7 a.m.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Gary IN, Portage IN and Merrillville IN until 7:30 a.m.A Tornado Warning is in effect for Lee County until 7 a.m.A Tornado Warning in DeKalb County is now cancelled Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here A Wind Advisory is also in effect between7 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the highlighted counties in the map below. Southwest winds 20-30 mph with gusts 45-50 mph are expected. Winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could snap, resulting in a few power ...

Brandon Johnson elected Chicago mayor, defeating Paul Vallas

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Former teacher and union organizer Brandon Johnson has been elected Chicago mayor, according to Associated Press projections.City Council seats, as well as suburban mayor and village presidents races, continue to be decided.The Chicago mayoral race pitted former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat endorsed by Chicago’s police union and several trade unions, against progressive Johnson, the Cook County Board Commissioner, who was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and several public sector unions. All Chicago and Illinois Election ResultsTuesday's runoff election is due to no candidate receiving over 50% of the vote on the Feb. 28 election. On that day, Vallas, 69, was the majority frontrunner. Johnson, 46, followed and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot finished third in the polls. The soon-to-be-ousted Lightfoot was the first city mayor in 40 years to seek reelection and lose.WGN News’ special coverage began at 7 p.m. and included analysis and updat...

New cars have become luxury items

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

(The Hill) -- At some point in the not-too-distant past, a new car became a luxury purchase. The average price for a new vehicle hit $49,500 at the end of last year, compared to $38,948 just three years earlier. Skyrocketing interest rates pushed the average monthly car payment on a five-year loan to $723 in March. New vehicles priced under $25,000, a range that the average American might deem affordable, now account for less than 5 percent of all sales. Customers who walk onto a dealer’s lot expecting such enticements as zero-APR financing and thousand-dollar rebates are in for a surprise: For the first time in recent memory, the automobile industry is a seller’s market. “It is no longer a $25,000, $30,000 transaction. It is a $50,000, $60,000 transaction,” said Patrick Rosenberg, director of automotive finance intelligence at J.D. Power, the car-consumer company. “It is a greater financial commitment than it has ever been.” The car-and-truck marketplace went ha...

Austin Water breaks down benefits of prescribed burns

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

BUDA (KXAN) — As the weather warms up, one tool to help lower risk of wildfires is prescribed burns.In Central Texas, Austin Water plays a pivotal part in planning out these contained fires.In late February, the municipal utility orchestrated a prescribed burn at a 183-acre property off FM 967 in Buda. Fighting fire with fire: What goes into prescribed burn planning? Immediately afterward, most of the site was black and burned.Now — only a few weeks later — it’s hard to tell that there was even a fire in the first place.Spring green has taken full effect, as the wildland is filled with flowers and grass.The Austin Water Wildland Conservation division is now working with volunteers on the massive property, who are helping seed Texas native plants on a section of the wildlands.The water utility currently owns around 30,000 wild acres of land in both Travis and Hays counties. Texas French Bread fire leads to new official AFD protocol related to water Austin Water environmental prog...

Austin Public Library launches podcast to dive into classic, niche horror literature

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After years of operating as a radio show, the Austin Public Library has revamped "APL Volumes" as a podcast that will dive into different topics and themes each season.APL Librarian Maddy Newquist hosts the podcast. Season 1's first episode premiered March 6, with new episodes set to be released every other week. Austin Public Library’s puppetry program delights audiences for 45 years Season 1 delves into horror, discussing books and accompanying media that have defined the genre. Newquist told KXAN she first conceived the idea last May when she wanted to expand her knowledge on the genre.APL offers a personal picks service, where visitors can ask for recommendations and staff compile a list of books, movies or podcasts based on those keywords."When a librarian has a blind spot...we do something called genre studies where we look at what we do, we look at some genres, and we kind of pick one or two books within each and we look at that as a way to kind of get a foo...

Playdates in the Park offers families a chance to bond while enjoying spring

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Parks Foundation, or APF, on March 30 released the dates for free community events for families with young children.According to APF's website, the Playdates in the Park sessions will feature "signing, beatboxing, guided movement exercises, and end in a dance party for the whole family." The sessions begin at 10 a.m. and end around noon. Here are the dates and locations:April 12, Garrison District Park, 6001 Menchaca Rd. April 29, Alderbrook Pocket Park, corner of Alderbrook Dr. and Lamplight Village Ave.May 10, Armadillo Neighborhood Park, 910 Armadillo Rd.May 27, Patterson Neighborhood Park, 4200 Brookview Rd.APF has also released the 2023 schedule for Movies in the Park. Playdates in the Park is an inclusive, free community event series designed to inspire creativity, encourage physical and emotional development, and support bonding and connection for parents and children, according to APH's website.

Cyclist killed in March 24 crash identified

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:16:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police on Tuesday identified the bicyclist who died after a crash on March 24 on South 1st Street. According to APD, officers responded around 11:45 p.m. to a crash between the bicycle and a sedan on South 1st between Orland Boulevard and Emerald Wood Drive in the Williamson Creek area. APD said the cyclist, John Phillip Judah, 76, was taken to St. David's South Austin Hospital where he later died. The driver was not hurt and stayed at the crash site and cooperated with the investigation, according to APD.Police say this is Austin's 25th fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 25 fatalities for the year.