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U.S. ‘allies and partners’ briefed following revelations about intelligence leak: WH

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

WASHINGTON — The White House says it has been in touch with affected allies and partners at “very high levels” following the leak of sensitive U.S. intelligence about Russia’s war with Ukraine. That likely includes Canada: the leaked documents describe claims, which The Canadian Press has not independently verified, by Russian-backed hackers that they successfully accessed the country’s natural gas infrastructure.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says the leak has been referred for criminal investigation, but can’t say if it has been fully contained. The documents, which appear altered in spots, include sensitive U.S. assessments of the ongoing war in Ukraine — as well as a warning about the risk of a cyberattack north of the border. The report doesn’t name a specific energy company, but says hackers were instructed by a Russian intelligence officer to maintain access to the computer network and “wait for further instruction....

Jury holds key to fate of $1 billion transmission project

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A battle over a $1 billion transmission line that won all regulatory approvals only to be rebuked by state residents in a referendum now comes down to nine regular folks.In a rare move, a jury is being asked to decide a complicated constitutional matter — whether developers have a vested right to complete the 145-mile (233-kilometer) project, which would supply Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid.The constitutionality of the statewide referendum on the project depends on the jury’s decision on the narrow vested-rights issue. And the case could turn on a simple majority of jurors.“We’re not aware of a similar instance in which the fate of a large energy asset rests in the hands of a jury. This is an unusual circumstance,” Timothy Fox, vice president of Clear View Partners, an energy research firm in Washington, D.C., said before the trial began Monday.The courtroom was packed Monday. Attorneys for groups opposed to the project and the state attorn...

Leaked documents a ‘very serious’ risk to security: Pentagon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The online leaks of scores of highly classified documents about the Ukraine war present a “very serious” risk to national security, and senior leaders are quickly taking steps to mitigate the damage, a top Pentagon spokesman said Monday.Chris Meagher, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, told reporters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin first became aware on Thursday that a number of classified briefing slides detailing the U.S. military efforts in the Ukraine war and intelligence involving other nations were leaked. In the days since Austin was notified, he has reached out to allies, held daily meetings to assess damage and set up a group not only to assess the scope of the information lost but review who has access to those briefings. The department is looking closely at “how this type of information is distributed and to whom,” Meagher said, but would not say if steps had already been taken to tighten control over who can access it.At...

As content creators await the passing of Bill C-11, some say it’s still too ambiguous

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

OTTAWA — The Liberal government’s online streaming bill is likely weeks away from becoming law as it awaits a final vote in the Senate. But some content creators who will be impacted by the changes say the proposed law is still too ambiguous. Nathan Kennedy, a content creator from Hamilton, has made a career out of teaching people about personal finances online.The online streaming act will require big streaming companies — such as YouTube, Netflix and Spotify — to contribute to and promote Canadian content. Kennedy worries that new discoverability requirements will affect the way he makes money.He says if his videos don’t meet future CanCon standards, they could be de-prioritized by tech companies. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2023. The Canadian Press

Police: Bank employee killed 4 in Louisville shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A 23-year-old used a rifle to kill four people — including a close friend of the governor — Monday at the Louisville bank where he was an employee, authorities said.The shooting, the 15th mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles to the south. That state's governor and his wife also had friends killed in that shooting.Police in Louisville arrived as gunshots were still being fired inside Old National Bank and exchanged fire with the shooter, who died, Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said at a news conference. He said it wasn't clear whether the shooter killed himself or was shot by officers.“We believe this is a lone gunman involved in this that did have a connection to the bank. We’re trying to establish what that connection was to the business, but it appears he was a previous ...

White House bashes 'dangerous' ruling against Mifepristone approval

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – On Friday, a Texas judge issued a ruling that halted FDA approval of an abortion drug nationwide. Now the White House says they're confident the unprecedented ruling will be defeated.“A single court in Texas has taken the dangerous steps,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre said.The White House says the FDA will not make any immediate changes to the availability of Mifepristone, the medication used for abortions up to 11 weeks in pregnancy.“The Department of Justice has already filed a notice of appeal,” said Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council.The ruling put the future of the drug in jeopardy and while the administration is appealing, some Democrats say the FDA has the authority to ignore the ruling -- an idea Texas Congressman Tony Gonzalez rejects.“It's very dangerous when you have the administration coming and saying they may not uphold a ruling,” Rep Tony Gonzalez (R-TX) said.To complicate the issue, on Friday, a ...

'Aggressive' shark attack in Hawaii leaves surfer in serious condition

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

HONOLULU (KHON) -- A 58-year-old surfer in Honolulu was badly injured Sunday when a shark bit down on his leg. Honolulu Ocean Safety said the surfer's friends quickly made a tourniquet with their surfboard leashes to help him, potentially saving his life. He was taken to a local trauma center in "serious condition," according to paramedics. According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, reports indicate it was an 8-foot tiger shark that caused the injuries. The surfers who helped the injured man reported the shark kept returning to the area as they administered aid, and said the animal was acting aggressively. Friends said the injured surfer was a regular at the Kewalos Basin area, where the shark attack happened. Conservation officers are assisting lifeguards in warning beachgoers of the apparent shark encounter. Hawaiians consider limiting access to tourist hotspots, prioritizing locals: ‘We need a break too’ Ocean Safety said a fisherman was also chased out of the a...

What to look for as the Bulls enter the play-in tournament

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

CHICAGO — It's something that's still in it's infancy when it comes to the National Basketball Association, but the odds may seem stacked against the Bulls in 2023. Billy Donovan's team is currently the tenth seed in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, which begins for the them on Wednesday night. That's when they'll face the ninth-seeded Raptors at Scotiabank Arena at 6 p.m. central time.It's a "win-or-go-home" game for the Bulls, who finished up their regular season with a 40-42 record after beating the Pistons in the finale Sunday at the United Center. Here's what you need to know ahead of the play-in tournament, which will involve the Bulls for the first time. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Make history or be historyWhile the play-in tournament in its current format is only entering it's third year, one thing that's consistent is the lack of success for the tenth seeds that have taken part in it. In 2021 and 2022, the teams holding that postion has yet to win a gam...

Hilary Swank gives birth to twins, shares first photo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Hilary Swank has given birth to twins — a boy and a girl.The 48-year-old “Million Dollar Baby” actor posted a photo of her and her twins looking at the sunset on Instagram Sunday evening with the caption: “It wasn't easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it.”She added on Instagram that she's "posting from pure heaven.” She and entrepreneur Philip Schneider have been married since 2018. Thousands of purple creatures wash ashore in California Over the course of her pregnancy, Swank had been filming her new ABC show “Alaska Daily." She shared in an interview in October that when her pants didn't fit during filming, she cut them open and put a jacket on to hide her bump.“You don’t tell for 12 weeks for a certain reason. But then, like, you’re growing and you’re using the bathroom a lot and you’re eating a lot. I’m sure there’s been conversations, and when I get back to the set, people will be like, ‘Oh, it all makes sense now,’ the two-time Oscar wi...

Grand jury indicts mother of 6-year-old Virginia student that shot teacher

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:06:07 GMT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia grand jury has indicted the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his first-grade teacher earlier this year.Teacher Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest in January at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News as she sat at a reading table in her classroom. The 25-year-old teacher spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and required four surgeries.The shooting sent shock waves through the military shipbuilding community and the country, with many wondering how a child so young could access a gun and shoot his teacher.On Monday, the Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney's Office shared that a grand jury has indicted the student's mother, Deja Taylor, for felony child neglect and a misdemeanor of recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child. Full coverage: Richneck Elementary shooting "Every criminal case is unique in its facts, and these facts support these charges, but our investigation into the shooting continues,...