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AP News in Brief at 12:19 a.m. EDT

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy’s efforts to buoy a nationZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — The caravan of unmarked vehicles tears across the muddy grass next to the playground. On the merry-go-round, the children stop swinging and spinning. The curious — parents and other residents of this southeastern town — gather around. Car doors swing open, and heavily armed security guards in battlefield fatigues spill out.And just like that, he is among them: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wartime leader and his country’s chief morale officer.This week, Zelenskyy shuttled across the country on a 48-hour train trip to rally soldiers who are battling Russian forces — and, just as important, to buoy the communities often caught in the crossfire. Here, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the front lines, Zelenskyy came to see for himself the destruction from a Russian attack that damaged dozens of apartments one week ago. The violence hit just steps from the playground and mer...

Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy’s efforts to buoy a nation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — The caravan of unmarked vehicles tears across the muddy grass next to the playground. On the merry-go-round, the children stop swinging and spinning. The curious — parents and other residents of this southeastern town — gather around. Car doors swing open, and heavily armed security guards in battlefield fatigues spill out.And just like that, he is among them: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wartime leader and his country’s chief morale officer.This week, Zelenskyy shuttled across the country on a 48-hour train trip to rally soldiers who are battling Russian forces — and, just as important, to buoy the communities often caught in the crossfire. Here, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the front lines, Zelenskyy came to see for himself the destruction from a Russian attack that damaged dozens of apartments one week ago. The violence hit just steps from the playground and merry-go-round. One person was killed and 30 others wounded. For Zapo...

Taiwan’s president begins US visit to shore up support

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Taiwan’s president is beginning a swing through the United States and Central America, a visit aimed at showing that her self-ruled island has allies as it faces a rising threat from China.Taiwan was carefully calibrating President Tsai Ing-wen’s stops in the United States, and as always forgoing any official meetings with senior U.S. leaders in Washington, in an effort to contain what China said would be a strong but as yet unspecified response.Tsai arrived in New York on Wednesday and was scheduled to spend Thursday in the city, but few details of the trip were made public.A senior Chinese diplomat in Washington, embassy charge d’affaires Xu Xueyan, pointed to an expected meeting between Tsai and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy elsewhere in the country. The meeting would have serious repercussions overall and a “serious, serious, serious” impact on U.S.-China relations, she said in a virtual session with reporters on Wednesday.Sen. Robert Menendez, a New...

House GOP pushes sprawling bill to ‘unleash’ American energy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are set to approve a sprawling energy package that seeks to undo virtually all of President Joe Biden’s agenda to address climate change.The massive GOP bill up for a vote Thursday would sharply increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects. It also would boost production of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are used in products such as electric vehicles, computers and cellphones.Republicans call the bill the “Lower Energy Costs Act” and have given it the symbolic label H.R. 1 — the top legislative priority of the new GOP majority, which took control of the House in January. The measure, which combines dozens of separate proposals, represents more than two years of work by Republicans who are have chafed at Biden’s environmental agenda. They say Biden’s efforts have thwarted U.S. energy production and increase...

Ecuador court says congress can pursue impeaching president

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador’s Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday the opposition-dominated National Assembly can take up the question of whether to impeach President Guillermo Lasso over allegations of crimes against state security and corruption.The ruling was only a first step. The congress still must follow a formal process that requires the presentation of evidence and arguments before legislators may vote on impeachment.The court, which is the interpreter and guarantor of Ecuador’s constitution, gave the go-ahead for impeachment proceedings on a 6-3 vote by the justices.The issue was put before the court by the unicameral legislature, a body of 137 legislators in which a majority is held by opposition parties led by the Union for Hope party, which has ties to former President Rafael Correa, who governed in 2007-2017.Lasso, a conservative former banker, began his four-year term in May 2021.Allegations have been raised that the president’s brother-in-law, Danilo Carrera, has l...

Skilling Report: Warmest temps to date this year Friday ahead coupled with the potential for a large outbreak of potentially severe thunderstorms late Friday into Friday night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

Potential for a large outbreak of severe thunderstorms late Friday into Friday nightTHEN HIGH NON-T-STORM WINDS EXPECTED TO SWEEP CHICAGO LATE FRI NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WITH POTENTIAL 50+ MPH GUSTS AND A NEW ROUND OF SIGNIFICANT WIND DRIVEN SNOWS ACROSS THE "NORTH WOODS" OF WISCONSIN AND UPPER MICHIGANSEVERE WEATHER CONCERNS REMAIN ELEVATED ACROSS A WIDE SWATH OF THE MIDWEST, INCLUDING CHICAGO, FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY EVENING. The Storm Prediction Center indicates a level 3 to 4 risk on the 5 level scale—which is an elevated level of riskThe 11th atmospheric river/"Pineapple Express" storm since Dec 22nd--a system which has swept off the Pacific into California and now the intermountain West--is behind what looks like some rough weather across the Midwest, including the Chicago area.VIEW SLIDESHOW (Loading)Wednesday afternoon GOES EAST satellite view of the incoming stormGOES-18 western view of the storm headed for the central U.S. Satellite images courtesy of CIRA/RAMBB24 hour T-STORM PRO...

Wild tighten grip on Central Division lead with 4-2 win over Avalanche

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

Wild general manager Bill Guerin didn’t downplay the importance of the Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. He wanted his players to lean into the importance. Especially with Central Division supremacy on the line.“This is something that we need,” Guerin said told KFAN before the Wild took on Avalanche “This is a big game. This is for something. This is for first place.”That’s exactly where the Wild will remain after earning an impressive 4-2 win over the Avalanche in front of a packed house at Ball Arena in Denver. With a couple of weeks left in the regular season, the Wild (44-22-9, 97 points) lead the Central Division with both the Avalanche (44-24-6, 94 points) and the Dallas Stars (40-20-14, 94 points) right on their heels.It felt very much like a playoff matchup from the initial puck drop and the Wild struck first when Marcus Johansson finished off a pretty feed from Joel Eriksson Ek to make it 1-0. After a misplay by Avala...

Wolves falter late in loss to Phoenix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

Minnesota’s late-season ascent up the Western Conference standings hit a bit of a speed bump Wednesday in the desert.Attempting to pull within true striking distance of the Suns for a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Timberwolves were undone by a massive third-quarter run that led Phoenix to a 107-100 home victory on Wednesday night.After the Wolves (39-38) jumped out to a 10-point advantage early in the third quarter, the Suns tightened up their defense and closed the frame on a 31-14 run to seize control of the contest.Kevin Durant returned from an ankle injury to make his home debut in Phoenix (41-35) after his pre-deadline trade from Brooklyn. Durant was bothered for much of the night by Jaden McDaniels’ suffocating defense but was able to get going early in the final quarter when Minnesota’s top defender was on the bench.Durant finished with 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting.Minnesota led by three at halftime thanks t...

Avalanche burned by costly mistakes, overruled too-many-men call in 4-2 loss to Minnesota Wild with first place on the line

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

The Avalanche had scored a power play goal in a dozen consecutive games. In the unlucky 13th, they got played by their own power play.Nathan MacKinnon’s shot was blocked, Cale Makar’s puck recovery was squandered at the blue line and Frederick Gaudreau converted the ensuing short-handed breakaway for the back-breaking goal in Colorado’s 4-2 loss to the Wild on Wednesday.In the most important game of the season at Ball Arena, with a chance to leapfrog Minnesota for first place in the Central, the Avs (44-24-6) conceded just their third short-handed goal of the season at the worst possible time.  Halfway through the second period, the Avs trailed 2-1 when Valeri Nichushkin drew a boarding penalty behind the net. Gaudreau’s goal came just 14 seconds into the power play, and the Avs suddenly looked lifeless for the last 1:46.Instead of overtaking Minnesota atop the division, Colorado trails by three points with eight games remaining, including Saturday (7 p.m. MT...

Rockies-Padres opener delayed because of rainy forecast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:17 GMT

Rockies and Padres fans eager for the start of the 2023 season are going to have to wait for a few extra hours to get their baseball fix.With heavy rain forecast for the San Diego area, the start time of Thursday’s opener at Petco Park has been pushed back from 1:10 until 6:40 p.m. (San Diego time) That means that the game is now scheduled to begin at 7:40 p.m. MDT.There have been only three rainouts in Petco Park history. The most recent was May 7, 2017. There was also one on July 19, 2015 and one on April 4, 2006, when the second game of that season was postponed. The Padres have had just eight games delayed by rain since moving into Petco Park in 2004.Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.