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California’s governor says state’s budget deficit has grown to nearly $32 billion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s budget deficit has grown to nearly $32 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday, saying the state’s challenges are partly due to high federal inflation rates and the state’s decision to let some people delay filing their taxes after winter storms.That’s about $10 billion more than Newsom predicted in January, when he offered his first budget proposal. He’s now detailing his latest proposal for state spending in the fiscal year that starts July 1. The state’s total budget is about $306 billion, which is far larger than any other state budget.California is one of the only states to have a shortfall this year. That’s mostly because its progressive tax code relies on wealthy taxpayers whose income is closely tied to the performance of the stock market.In January, Newsom proposed a number of ideas to cover the deficit, including $9.6 billion in spending cuts. His latest proposal adds another $1.1 billion in spe...

Hodding Carter III, State Department spokesman during Iran hostage crisis, dies at 88

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Hodding Carter III, a Mississippi journalist and civil rights activist who updated Americans on the Iran hostage crisis as U.S. State Department spokesman and won awards for his televised documentaries, has died. He was 88.His daughter, Catherine Carter Sullivan, confirmed that he died Thursday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Before moving to Washington in 1977, Carter was editor and publisher of his family’s newspaper, the Delta Democrat-Times, in Greenville, Mississippi. Carter had been co-chair of the Loyalist Democrats, a racially diverse group that won a credentials fight at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, unseating the all-white delegation by Mississippi’s governor, John Bell Williams.Carter’s campaign work in 1976 for Jimmy Carter, no relation, helped secure him a job as assistant secretary of state for public affairs. It was in this role that he was seen on television news during the 444 days that Iran held 52 Americans hosta...

Ng announces India trade mission, pledges a limited deal within months

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Trade Minister Mary Ng says it is “not going to be years” before Canada and India sign some form of trade agreement, more than a decade after negotiations began.Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Ottawa and Toronto this week, where he told media that New Delhi wants to vastly increase its trade with Canada.The two countries are negotiating a possible agreement that is limited to certain sectors, instead of a comprehensive deal that covers most of the economy.Industry groups have been urging Canada to push for a deal to be signed this year, but a former Canadian envoy to India, Nadir Patel, says a deadline would likely make it harder for both sides to feel like they reached a fair agreement.Ng has also announced that she will be leading a trade mission to India this October, possibly with provincial representatives. The Asia-Pacific Foundation says Canada could benefit from India’s booming population by selling more produce, chemicals, wood produ...

Inflation in Argentina leaves familes struggling to feed themselves

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Gimena Páez could barely pay her bills.Then inflation in Argentina started rising even faster. The value of the country’s currency plunged, making most goods nearly unobtainable. Getting enough food for herself and her 11-year-old daughter became a daily struggle.Inflation has been a problem across the world but Argentina is second in a World Bank ranking of countries with the highest food inflation, at 107% over the last year. It’s topped only by Lebanon, with a whopping 352%.Life was never easy for the neighbors of Nueva Pompeya, a lower-middle-class neighborhood where Páez lives at the southern end of Argentina’s capital. These days, for many in Argentina, paying bills and getting to the end of the month have taken a backseat to a more basic problem: getting enough to eat.Argentina’s annual inflation rate has already surpassed 100% a year. The price of food has increased even faster, leading many to rely on soup kitchens to get at least one he...

People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier aims to run in Manitoba byelection

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Maxime Bernier says he will run in what he predicts will be a “two-horse race” for a federal seat in a coming byelection in rural Manitoba. The People’s Party of Canada leader says the vote in Portage-Lisgar will be a choice between him or what he called a fake conservative. The seat was previously held by Candice Bergen, who was the Conservative party’s interim leader last year and who stepped down as a member of Parliament in February.The byelection has not yet been called, and Bernier is the first candidate to publicly declare his intention to run. Bernier held several roles in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, including leading the industry and foreign affairs ministries.He quit the Conservative party in 2018 after losing its 2017 leadership contest to Andrew Scheer.After forming his own party, Bernier ran in his former seat of Beauce, Que., in the 2019 and 2021 elections, losing both times to a Conservative candidate. He told suppo...

Air Canada nearly doubles revenue, ekes out profit as travel demand takes flight

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

MONTREAL — Air Canada reported that first-quarter revenue nearly doubled compared with a year earlier as travellers hopped back on airplanes en masse — even as higher costs tamped down net earnings.Buoyed by a record $4.9 billion in revenue, the quarter marked the second in a row where the carrier has turned a profit following 11 straight quarters of losses totalling $10.1 billion.Net income amounted to $4 million, up from $974 million in losses a year ago.Chief executive Michael Rousseau said the results for the three months ended March 31 beat out all expectations for a traditionally weaker quarter, and that he believes demand will persist amid strong advance bookings for the rest of the year. They hit $5.3 billion at the end of March, up from $4.1 billion a year earlier.“The winter and the start of the spring can be very challenging in North America, especially Canada. Apart from the weather disruptions that can affect all aspects of the air transport system, it usually com...

Jonas Brothers release new album, plan to prioritize mental health on upcoming tour

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

After two decades in the spotlight, the Jonas Brothers are still chasing butterflies.Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas are releasing their sixth studio record “The Album” on Friday, before embarking on an U.S. tour in August. Nick says the band of brothers are putting themselves in new positions so they can feel “butterflies and excitement” before stepping onstage.One of those butterfly moments will come when the trio kicks off their tour at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 12.“It’s our favorite baseball team’s stadium for our entire lives,” Nick says. “We got to go and kind of go to a game and meet some of the players about a month ago. And we were just looking around, thinking the 10-year-old version of us that was sitting up in the highest nosebleed section seat would not believe that we’re going to play this place twice.”All three band members now have young families and Joe says this means the brothers are “quicker to return home” after touring. But that doesn’t mean that they are any less excit...

Woman found shot to death in 'suspicious' South Side house fire: fire officials

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman was found fatally shot in the head in a house fire in the city's Englewood neighborhood.According to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford, investigators have determined the fire to be "suspicious."Police said officers on patrol came across a small fire on the side of a house in the 6400 block of South Damen around 12:45 a.m. Friday. Police then requested the help of the Chicago Fire Department.As emergency crews conducted a search, they discovered an unresponsive 32-year-old woman in the rear of the property with a gun shot wound in the back of the head.She was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Woman, 26, found shot in head on South Side No word on what may have caused the fire.No one is in custody. Area One detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide.

A new use for Malört — in the name of charity

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO — There is another unique product headed to the market that celebrates Chicago tradition while also helping a charitable organization. Ahead of National Crouton Day on Saturday, May 13, Kooshy Croutons is teaming up with Jeppson's Malört to produce "Chicago Handshake Croutons." The mix will be a Malört and beer flavored mix since the "Chicago Handshake" typically involves a shot of the liqueur along with an Old Style beer. Many offer this to people who are visiting the city for the first time. Those around Chicago and others from around the country who've tried often know the drink for its bitter and, for some, harsh taste. White Castle offering free hamburgers for ‘National Slider Day’ The croutons come in a beer can and are available to buy now for $30 on the company's website.While a unique product to sell, both companies announced that 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the croutons will go to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. That organization has provide...

Tom Skilling to 'switch on summer' and Buckingham Fountain

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

CHICAGO —Summer is almost here! And a sure sign that it's just around the corner is the annual switching on of the Buckingham Fountain in Chicago's Grant Park!Our very own Tom Skilling will once again be on hand to kick things off on Saturday May 13.ComEd and the Chicago Park District join Skilling in celebrating the start of summer with a free event that runs from noon to 3 p.m.You can take part in activities, live entertainment, fun giveaways, and other special guest appearances!More information at Switch on Summer's official site. https://www.facebook.com/TomSkilling/posts/pfbid0Nv8uVEikav2Fn3zX3UqLHzLDo2uxqjrU4s1S8o3ZW48Q24oanANwRRuqhtYXcYhzl