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John Kerry reports only to Biden; Blinken frozen out

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

As John Kerry comes under intense scrutiny for rekindling climate talks with the Chinese, the U.S. State Department made it clear he reports to nobody but President Biden.“Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry reports directly to the President,” a State Department spokesperson told the Herald Monday.The one-line response came as new emails show Kerry — the nation’s first Special Presidential Envoy for Climate — has a “proposed staff” of 45 positions. That’s the same-sized office set up to combat ISIS, his staffers pointed out.Those emails also state everyone reports to Kerry alone. The Climate office informed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee of that fact, the emails show.A State Department spokesman now confirms Kerry does not answer to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and goes straight to the Oval Office.That’s a problem, says Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust. His watchdog...

Orioles minor league report: 8 prospects move up in Baseball America’s latest top 100 list

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

This offseason, the Orioles had Baseball America’s top-ranked farm system for the first time since the publication began ranking them in 1984. In total, eight Baltimore prospects were recognized among the 100 best in baseball.On Monday, all those youngsters who still have prospect eligibility moved up in Baseball America’s updated rankings, and a slugger who is scorching hot at the plate was added to the list.The organization’s top prospects — including pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, shortstop Jackson Holliday and outfielder Colton Cowser — all got modest bumps in the rankings. Double-A Bowie outfielder Heston Kjerstad, whose eight home runs are tied for most among all Orioles minor leaguers this season, is ranked No. 98.One major difference in the current list compared with the one from January is that the Orioles no longer have the No. 1 prospect in baseball. After catcher Adley Rutschman topped the list in 2022, infielder Gunnar Henderson earned No. 1 pr...

Party officials: Imran Khan arrested in court in Islamabad

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani security agents arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday as he appeared in a court in the capital, Islamabad, to face charges in multiple graft cases, officials from his party said. Khan was dragged outside and pushed into a police vehicle by agents from the country’s anti-corruption body, the National Accountability Bureau, according to Fawad Chaudhry, a senior official with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Chaudhry denounced the arrest as “an abduction.” Pakistan’s independent GEO TV broadcast images of the 72-year-old Khan being pulled by security forces towards an armored vehicle, which took him away. Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022. He has claimed his ouster was illegal and a Western conspiracy and has campaigned against the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, demanding early elections. After the former premier was whisked away, a scuffle broke out between Khan’s supporters and police. Chaud...

2 inmates escape Philadelphia prison, undetected for hours

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Authorities searched Tuesday for two inmates — one accused of killing four people — who were gone from a Philadelphia prison for nearly 19 hours before officials knew they were missing.Ameen Hurst, 18, and Nasir Grant, 24, escaped from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center around 8:30 p.m. Sunday by cutting a hole in a fence surrounding a recreation yard, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons said.Headcounts conducted at 11 p.m. Sunday, 3 a.m. Monday, and 7 a.m. Monday reportedly showed that all prisoners were accounted for, said Philadelphia Prisons Department Commissioner Blanche Carney. The facility became aware of the escaped inmates at about 3 p.m. Monday, Carney said.“We have protocols in place and those protocols were not followed,” Carney said. “That yard should have been secured, and the fence not breached.”Mayor Jim Kenney said at a news conference Monday evening that they want to find out exactly what happened.“Clearly the system...

Increased service returning to late night trains on TTC Line 1 and 2

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

Increased service is returning to late night trains on TTC Line 1 and 2, as TTC CEO Rick Leary announced they are reversing those cuts at Monday’s board meeting.Subway riders have been voicing their concerns over reduced service since the changes were first announced earlier this year.Now, the TTC says because of improved staffing levels, late night trains will go back to running at least every six minutes.The cuts to Line 2 late night service went into effect on March 26, while the changes to Line 1 were expected to go into place on Sunday.The TTC said the switch back went into place as May 7 and will be built into schedules moving forward.“We’ve heard from many people that they’re uncomfortable with the proposed eight minute waits and we’ve responded,” said Leary. “Additionally, we’ll have the ability to add additional resoures to address some of those busy routes identified across the city.”The TTC continues to struggle financ...

How those fleeing Ukraine inspired US border policies

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, refugees from the threatened nation started showing up at Mexico’s border with the United States. Roughly 1,000 Ukrainians a day flew to Tijuana on tourist visas, desperate to reach U.S. soil.The volume was overwhelming the nation’s busiest border crossing in San Diego. In Tijuana, thousands of Ukrainians slept in a municipal gym hoping for a chance to cross into the U.S. In response, the Biden administration announced it would admit up to 100,000 Ukrainians for two years — if they applied online, had a financial backer and entered through an airport. At the same time, border officials turned back Ukrainians who arrived on foot at the U.S. border. The Democratic administration has considered those policies to be so effective that a similar model has become the centerpiece of a broader border policy rolling out in earnest Thursday as coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions that had allowed U.S. officials to quickly turn ...

Inside NHL draft lottery Blackhawks won for Connor Bedard

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks won the NHL draft lottery and the chance to select Connor Bedard long before Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly revealed it on national television. The process to determine who got the No. 1 pick and Bedard, considered hockey’s top prospect since Connor McDavid, actually wrapped up about 80 minutes earlier in a small room at NHL Network studios. It also ended with the Anaheim Ducks getting the No. 2 pick.The Associated Press was one of three media outlets represented among the roughly 20 people there to witness the potentially franchise-altering drawing. It was filmed for posterity and posted on the league’s website.Here’s an inside look at how it all happened:THE LEAD-UPDaly, Commissioner Gary Bettman and several league executives milled about the room in the time leading up to the drawing. The lottery odds of every team that did not make the playoffs were frozen on one TV screen, while a spreadsheet showing an Excel sheet o...

Japan, US, S. Korea discuss sharing of N. Korea missile data

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan, the United States and South Korea are negotiating an agreement on sharing real-time data on North Korean missile launches, as cooperation among the three nations becomes increasingly important amid growing nuclear and missile threats from the North, Japan’s chief government spokesperson said Tuesday.Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said there has been no agreement yet, but “I understand that defense authorities are vigorously proceeding to set up an arrangement.” “The security environment surrounding Japan and South Korea is becoming more severe and more complex, and coordination between the two countries as well as trilaterally with the United States has become increasingly important,” Matsuno said. Japan and South Korea are both key U.S. allies and their cooperation is key to Washington’s security strategy in the Indo-Pacific as tensions grow with China, North Korea and Russia. Japan and South Korea have been separately linked to data from U.S. ra...

UK police under fire over coronation protester arrests

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

LONDON (AP) — An anti-monarchy group says it plans to take legal action against London’s Metropolitan Police after several of its members were arrested as they prepared to protest the coronation of King Charles III. Civil liberties groups are accusing the police, and Britain’s Conservative government, of stifling the right to protest with new powers to clamp down on peaceful but disruptive demonstrations.The police force expressed “regret” late Monday that the activists were prevented from protesting, but defended its handling of the coronation, which drew hundreds of thousands of people into the streets of London — hundreds of protesters among them.Police arrested 64 people around Saturday’s coronation, most for allegedly planning to disrupt the ceremonies. Four have been charged, most have been released on bail, and six members of anti-monarchist group Republic have been freed and told they will not face any charges.Republic chief executive Graham Smith said three senior pol...

Germany’s Scholz urges EU to reform, strike migrants deal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:07:12 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Tuesday for the European Union to address the political, economic and strategic challenges it faces by embracing a series of reforms, including pooling its defense procurement efforts, forging new trade deals and setting aside long-running disputes over migration from outside the bloc.Speaking to lawmakers in the European Parliament, he said strengthening the EU’s military, technological sovereignty and independent sources of crucial commodities would boost the bloc’s ties with its closest partner, the United States.Scholz said it was important for the EU to keep its promise toward prospective members such as the Western Balkans countries, while ensuring they undertake the necessary reforms to be able to join the bloc.Efforts to rebuild Ukraine, another aspiring EU member, will need “political and financial capital over the long term,” he said, adding that a prosperous and democratic Ukraine would be the strongest counterpoint to Ru...