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Biden, McCarthy to meet Monday as debt talks continue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

The President and House Speaker will meet Monday to resume talks aimed at finding a solution to the looming risk of a national debt default and the potentially catastrophic consequences of the U.S. government not paying its bills.President Biden, according to the White House, on Sunday returned early from an abbreviated trip to Asia where he was attending a meeting of the G7. Biden cut the trip short amid ongoing negotiations on how the nation will see its borrowing limit raised.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose party is demanding spending cuts to go along with any increased debt allowance, spoke to Biden by phone as the President made his way back to Washington and arranged to meet the commander-in-chief at the White House first thing Monday morning.“I think we can solve some of these problems if he understands what we’re looking at,” McCarthy told reporters after the call, “But I’ve been very clear to him from the very beginning. We have to spend less money than we spent last ye...

Celebration at California dance ballroom a sign of healing following Lunar New Year shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

ALHAMBRA, Calif. (AP) — A weekend celebration at a Southern California dance ballroom was hailed by organizers as the latest sign of healing within the Asian American community following the Lunar New Year shooting that killed 11 people at a nearby dance studio. One of the hosts of Saturday’s event at Lai Lai Ballroom in Alhambra was Brandon Tsay, who on Jan. 21 famously wrestled a semi-automatic weapon away from the gunman who had earlier shot up Star Ballroom Dance Studio in neighboring Monterey Park. Tsay, whose family has owned Lai Lai Ballroom for years, said the celebration is an example of the community standing strong and moving forward after the tragedy. “If you have these strong connections with one another, you’ll be able to support each other, lift each other up, even through times of crisis such as what happened earlier this year,” Tsay said, according to ABC 7. The event, part of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, featured dancing, live music p...

Debt ceiling talks resume as Biden, McCarthy prepare to meet Monday to resolve standoff

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Debt ceiling talks between the White House and House Republicans resumed Sunday at the Capitol as Washington races to strike a budget compromise along with a deal to raise the nation’s borrowing limit and avert an economy-wrecking federal default.President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke by phone Sunday while the president was returning home on Air Force One after the Group of Seven summit in Japan. Upbeat, McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters at the Capitol that the call was “productive” and that the on-again, off-again negotiations between his staff and White House representatives are focused on spending cuts.Biden and McCarthy are set to meet for a pivotal meeting Monday at the White House.Negotiators for the Democratic president and Republican speaker met as talks appear to be narrowing on a 2024 budget year cap that would be key to resolving the standoff. They face a deadline, as soon as June 1, when the government could run out of c...

Vinicius Junior says Spanish league ‘now belongs to racists’ after enduring more abuse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Vinícius Júnior was subjected to racist abuse yet again on Sunday with the Brazil star saying the Spanish league “now belongs to racists.”The latest abuse against Vinícius came in Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Valencia, a match that had to be temporarily stopped after the Brazil forward said he was insulted by a fan behind one of the goals at Mestalla Stadium.“It wasn’t the first time, or the second or the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition thinks it’s normal, as does the federation, and the opponents encourage it,” Vinícius said on Instagram and Twitter. “The league that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and (Lionel) Messi now belongs to racists … But I’m strong and I will fight until the end against the racists. Even if far from here.”The 22-year-old Vinícius, who is is Black, has been subjected to racist abuse since he came to play in Spain five years ago.Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti ...

8-year-old girl sought medical help 3 times on day she died, US immigration officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) — An 8-year-old girl who died last week in Border Patrol custody was seen at least three separate times by medical personnel on the day of her death — complaining of vomiting, a stomachache and later suffering what appeared to be a seizure — before she was taken to a hospital, U.S. immigration officials said Sunday.The girl’s mother had previously told The Associated Press that agents had repeatedly ignored her pleas to hospitalize her medically fragile daughter, who had a history of heart problems and sick cell anemia. Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez, whose parents are Honduran, was born in Panama with congenital heart disease.“She cried and begged for her life, and they ignored her. They didn’t do anything for her,” Mabel Alvarez Benedicks, the mother of Anadith, had previously told The Associated Press during an interview Friday.In a statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it knew about the girl’s medical history when personnel began treating her for ...

A first-time filmmaker makes a mark in Cannes competition with a Senegalese drama

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

CANNES, France (AP) — Most filmmakers in the Cannes Film Festival’s top-rung competition lineup are well-known directors who have been around for decades. One dramatic exception this year is Ramata-Toulaye Sy, a French-Senegalese filmmaker whose first film, “Banel & Adama,” landed among the 21 films competing for the Palme d’Or. “It’s only now that I realize that being in competition means being in a competition,” Sy said, laughing, in an interview shortly after “Banel & Adama” premiered in Cannes. “Now that we’re really in the middle of it, I realize there’s a lot of passion going around.”Sy, 36, is the sole first-timer in Cannes’ main lineup this year. She is also only the second Black female director to ever compete for the Palme, following Mati Diop, also a French-Senegalese filmmaker, whose “Atlantics” debuted in 2019. For the Paris-raised Sy, it’s not a distinction of significance. “I’m a filmmaker and I really wish we stopped being counte...

Johnson weighs in on City issues at Freedom, Dreams and Chicago Futures Forum

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson took the opportunity to speak on issues affecting the city of Chicago Sunday at the Freedom, Dreams and Chicago Futures Forum on the campus of the University of Illinois-Chicago."I’ve made it very clear that there is room at the table for everyone," Johnson said at the podium Sunday. "I’m not going to govern like the previous mayors and shut people out because we have a different ideological frame."One thing Johnson is unwilling to budge on is an emphasis on the young people of Chicago."Me, I’m a mother so it’s like, yeah, don’t compromise on the youth because they are the future," said Lanetta Thomas, an attendee at the forum. "If they have the investment into things that invest in them, they will create the future where there is no violence or stem programs where they know to be environmentally friendly."Johnson also explained how using the City's guaranteed income program will help his administration center plans and initiatives for the formerly in...

Tinley Park police cancel carnival after flash mob involving 400 teens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

TINLEY PARK, Ill. — Tinley Park police canceled the final day of The Armed Forces Weekend Carnival due to safety concerns stemming from a flash mob incident on Saturday.According to police, about 400 teenagers were at the carnival in response to a social media post. Sheriff: Grenade blast kills man, injures two teens in NW Indiana Police said the teens were running through the parking lot at the 80th Avenue train station and were getting into fights in an attempt to disrupt the event. Most of the teens were released back to their parents, but police did issue five citations.Tinley Park police said the decision was made to cancel Sunday's event after they learned another flash mob was planned.

Longhorns top Aggies for 2nd time to advance to NCAA super regionals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the eighth time in program history, the Texas softball team is in the super regionals.The 13th-seeded Longhorns won the Austin regional tournament Sunday with an 11-5 win over rival Texas A&M to finish the opening round 3-0. Texas will meet whoever comes out of the Knoxville regional, either the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers or the Indiana Hoosiers. If the Vols win, the super regional round will be in Knoxville, but Texas will host if the Hoosiers find a way to top them.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIt was the second time the Longhorns beat the Aggies in the regional tournament at McCombs Field. Texas topped Seton Hall 8-0 in five innings on Friday to open the four-team, double-elimination tournament, then squeaked by the Aggies 2-1 in the semifinals on Saturday. Texas A&M beat Texas State 2-1 in eight innings on Friday, and following their l...

Drying out ahead of a warmer and sunnier week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Showers are already fading with breaks of sunshine developing. I expect most areas will be dry by 7 p.m. if not sooner. Daytime highs are not likely to leave the low to mid 70s, leaving us more than 10°-15º cooler than where we should be this time of year. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Rainfall amounts were highest in the Hill Country where several tenths of an inch of rain was reported in spots. Just a few hundredths of an inch fell in the Austin Metro with even less in our eastern counties. CENTRAL TEXAS RAINFALL TOTALS Don't get too comfortable with the cooler weather though as temperatures waste no time warming back up tomorrow. High temperatures will return to the mid to upper 80s Monday and will near 90° each day thereafter.Highs next 7 daysWe'll start the work week with mostly to partly sunny skies and dry conditions. Our next rain chance comes with a quick-hitting disturbance midweek, but overall, is not expected to bring much i...