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Norfolk Southern Spent $1.9 Million in Washington as Congress Weakened Rail Safety Bill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

After laying low in the wake of the disastrous East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, Norfolk Southern is back to spending millions in Congress — and a paper trail indicates that it’s lobbying for weaker regulation and rewarding members of Congress who play along.From the day of the derailment on February 3 through the end of April, the company made no political contributions, instead receiving refunds of donations it had made to a number of campaigns. But as the national spotlight dimmed, the company got back to work.In the last four months, Norfolk spent $1,657,500 on lobbyists who met with the same elected officials tasked with regulating the company. And in June and July alone, the company shelled out almost $200,000 to a myriad of congressional campaigns and political action committees, or PACs, according to its recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, including one from this week.As Norfolk went on a spending spree, the Bipartisan Railway Safety Act stalled in the...

German archbishop ‘disappointed’ by diocese employees’ attempts to access porn

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The archbishop of Cologne, one of Germany’s most important Catholic dioceses, on Friday expressed disappointment that employees used work computers to try to access pornographic websites.The statement from Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki came after the city’s Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper reported that a list from the archdiocese showed more than 1,000 attempts to access such sites from its computers. It said that dozens of employees, including senior clerics, had made such attempts.The archdiocese confirmed the existence of a list. It said that its IT service provider routinely checks whether its firewalls fend off attempts to access sites with risky content such as violence, pornography and drugs, and that they are not meant to check individuals’ usage habits.It said that the check turned up “no indications of criminally relevant behavior.”“It disappointed me that employees tried to access pornographic pages with the help of devices that our archdio...

Russell Wilson starting to look like his old self under tutelage of Sean Payton

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Russell Wilson is starting to look like his old self again.Make that his younger self, as in the swaggering quarterback who helped the Seattle Seahawks win their only Super Bowl title a decade ago.Wilson is throwing the ball with authority, accuracy and touch as he embarks on a comeback from the worst season of his career.It’s exactly what coach Sean Payton wanted to see when he sent Wilson and the rest of the starters out for a fourth drive in Denver’s preseason opener at Arizona last week.Following three fruitless drives — a three-and-out and two missed field goals — in which Wilson had many Broncos fans mumbling, “Here we go again,” Wilson went 3 of 4 with a drop for 44 yards and a touchdown in that final series. He’ll start again Saturday night against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, when the Broncos starters are expected to play until halftime. Wilson got off to a hum-drum start when training ...

Estados Unidos reabrirá su oficina de atención migratoria en Cuba

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

(CNN Español) — El Servicio de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de Estados Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglés) informó que reabrirá su oficina en La Habana, Cuba, con el objeto de ofrecer apoyo en trámites migratorios.En el comunicado publicado en la página de USCIS se informó que próximamente se actualizará la página web para poder solicitar citas porque sólo se atenderá de esa forma.En ese mismo sitio se dará más información sobre los servicios disponibles que, entre otros, incluyen entrevistas, procesos de permisos de permanencia temporal para unificación de familias y solicitudes de asilo o refugio de familiares.OPINIÓN | Sin ayuda externa y con pocos amigos, la economía de Cuba se desangra a dos años de las protestas del 11 de julioLa decisión de abrir nuevamente esta oficina es parte del compromiso del Gobierno del presidente de EE.UU., Joe Biden, para facilitar una migración segura, legal y ordenada y desanimar la migración por vía marítima de forma ilegal y peligrosa, seg...

The US is requiring new inspections of some jet engines, another setback for Pratt & Whitney

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney has a new problem on its hands.U.S. regulators are requiring immediate inspections and possible repairs to Pratt & Whitney engines on some Airbus passenger jets because of a risk that parts could fail and damage the planes during flight.The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday that it acted after further analysis of an engine shutdown last December that required pilots of an Airbus A320neo to abort a takeoff.The FAA said it will require ultrasonic inspections of the engine parts within 30 days. The rule replaces a directive from October, which told aircraft operators to have the engines checked at their next shop visit. The new order covers 20 engines on planes registered in the United States and 202 engines worldwide. Pratt faces another, much bigger problem that will require airlines to remove 1,200 engines from Airbus jets and potentially replace parts that were made with powder metal that became contaminated in th...

Donald Trump, a una sola semana para entregarse y ser fichado por el caso de Georgia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

WASHINGTON – El expresidente Donald Trump (2017-2021) dispone solo de una semana para entregarse para ser fichado en la prisión de Fulton (Georgia), a la que deberá acudir tras haber sido imputado por manipular presuntamente los resultados electorales en este estado.A diferencia de en los tres procesos previos, en los que a Trump le leyeron los cargos en tres juzgados (en Nueva York, Miami y Washington DC), esta vez el expresidente y las otras 18 personas imputadas tendrán que someterse a este procedimiento en la cárcel del condado de Fulton.Puesto que el centro penitenciario permanece abierto las 24 horas del día, apuntó esta semana la oficina del alguacil, los acusados podrían hacerlo en cualquier momento, antes de que se cumpla la fecha estipulada por la fiscal Fani Willis, el 25 de agosto. Uno por uno, cuáles son los cuatro casos penales que enfrenta Trump Gran jurado de Georgia acusa al expresidente Trump en investigación electoral...

Houston prepares for its first season in the Big 12 with Smith and Coley vying for QB job

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston coach Dana Holgorsen was talking with former star quarterback Case Keenum earlier this summer about when he should name a starting quarterback and end the competition between Donovan Smith and Lucas Coley.Keenum’s answer?“I wouldn’t,” Holgorsen said he told him. “Just let them compete, because if they compete, it makes them better, and then it should take care of itself.”Keenum’s answer came from experience with the same situation when he and Blake Joseph were vying for the job in 2008 before Keenum was eventually named the starter on a Houston team where Holgorsen was the offensive coordinator.Smith and Coley are competing to replace Clayton Tune, the team’s quarterback for the past four seasons.Smith joined the Cougars after appearing in 21 games for Texas Tech in the past two seasons. The 6-foot-5 Smith threw for 1,505 yards and 12 touchdowns last season after throwing for 1,181 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. Coley came to Houston after spending last s...

The old Landover Mall location in Prince George’s Co. could become a data center if not selected as FBI HQ site

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

The owners of the Washington Nationals plan to transform the site of the old Landover Mall in Prince George’s County, Maryland, into a data center if it is not selected as the new location for the FBI headquarters, according to an NBC4 report.The 80-acre property near FedEx field, owned by the Lerner Corporation, a private real estate company, is one of two sites in the county being considered for the FBI’s new home. The other site is in Greenbelt, and a third one is in Springfield, Virginia.Prince George’s County officials told NBC4 that it is common practice to have various scenarios for the site, but considers the data center a “backup plan,” saying it does not change their intention in bringing the FBI to either location in the county.The General Services Administration is expected to make the long-awaited decision about the FBI headquarters’ new location by the end of the year.Lerner issued an official statement Wednesday saying that it belie...

Muerte, tortura y genocidio: el relato de “uno de los peores días” de la historia de Darfur

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

Nota del editor: Este reportaje incluye una imagen cruda y detalles de violencia.CNN — Cientos de familias se reunieron en El Geneina, la capital de Darfur Occidental, el 15 de junio para planear el escape de lo que se había convertido en un infierno, con edificios destruidos  y cubiertos con grafitis racistas y calles tapadas de cadáveres. El gobernador del estado acababa de ser ejecutado y mutilado por grupos de milicias árabes, sin dejarle a los ciudadanos ninguna otra opción más que huir.Lo que vino después fue una masacre espantosa, eso dijeron algunos testigos. Se cree que fue uno de los incidentes más violentos en la historia de la región sudanesa marcada por el genocidio. El poderoso grupo paramilitar Fuerzas de Apoyo Rápido y sus milicias aliadas persiguieron a personas no árabes en varias partes de la ciudad y la región desértica circundante, dejando cientos de muertos a su paso, mientras las personas corrían para salvar sus vidas, según las pruebas recopiladas por CNN.Una...

Man shot by DC police during reported domestic violence investigation identified

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:51:42 GMT

A D.C. police officer responding to a reported domestic violence incident shot and critically wounded a man Thursday morning, police said.Police identified the man on Friday as Javier Reyes-Lopez, 34, of Northwest D.C. He was arrested on charges of assault on a police officer, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, among others.It happened just after 10:30 a.m. on the 7400 block of Georgia Avenue in Northwest.Acting Police Chief Pamela Smith said during a news conference that officers first “received a call for a man with a gun and potential domestic situation” at about 10 a.m. in an apartment building.Smith said officers could not enter the building or locate the caller for more information. Then officers were called to the area again after a 911 call at approximately 10:35 a.m. reporting gunfire related to the apparent domestic violence incident.“While officers were responding, they were flagged by an individual that gave a de...