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The UAE holds an annual oil and gas conference just ahead of hosting UN COP28 climate talks in Dubai

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Emirati president-designate of the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate talks called on oil and gas companies on Monday to be “central to the solution” to fighting climate change, even as the industry boosts its production to enjoy rising global energy prices.The call by Sultan al-Jaber highlights the gap between climate activists suspicious of his industry ties and his calls to drastically slash the world’s emissions by nearly half in seven years to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times. “That is our North Star. It is in fact our only destination,” al-Jaber said. “It is simply acknowledging and respecting the science.”However, he added: “We must do this while also ensuring human prosperity by meeting the energy needs of the planet’s growing population.”Al-Jaber serves as the CEO of the state-run Abu Dhabi Oil Co., which has the capacity to pump 4 million barrels...

Tropical Storm Philippe threatens flash floods Monday in Leeward Islands, forecasters say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Philippe is threatening to unleash heavy rains and flash flooding in the Leeward Islands on Monday before eventually recurving out into the central Atlantic where it could gain hurricane status around midweek, forecasters say.The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 2 a.m. Monday that Philippe was about 130 miles (215 kilometers) east-northeast of Guadeloupe or about 160 miles (255 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbuda. Top sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph) and Philippe was crawling to the northwest at 6 mph (9 kph). A tropical storm watch was in effect for Antigua and Barbuda. The hurricane center said interests in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the storm’s progress as the center of Philippe is forecast to pass near or just northeast of the northern Leeward Islands on Monday and Monday night.Heavy rainfall from Philippe could also produce isolated to scattered flash flooding across Barbuda and Antigua through Tuesday, ...

5 conservative cardinals challenge pope to affirm church teaching on gays and women ahead of meeting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Five conservative cardinals from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas have challenged Pope Francis to affirm Catholic teaching on homosexuality and female ordination ahead of a big Vatican meeting where such hot-button issues are up for debate.The cardinals on Monday published five questions they submitted to Francis, known as “dubia,” as well as an open letter to the Catholic faithful in which they outlined their concerns.The cardinals said they felt duty-bound to inform the faithful “so that you may not be subject to confusion, error, and discouragement.”The letter and questions were first published on the blogs of veteran Vatican reporter Sandro Magister and Messa in Latino two days before the start of a major three-week synod, or meeting, at the Vatican. More than 450 bishops and laypeople are gathering behind closed doors to discuss the future of the Catholic Church following a two-year canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics around the globe.Agenda items for...

"Summer" Continues in Chicago's opening days of October, but big change looms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

The week ahead will have temps well above normal to start the week—and well below normal by the end of the week. Our stretch of summer-like weather continues today around Chicago and into the first several days of October. Normal high temps are in the upper 60s for the first part of this month. Wednesday looks to be the transition day towards soggier weather. Timing-wise, I think we'll still end up in the low 80s but clouds fill our skies by the afternoon and some late-day showers/t'storms are possible.Blustery and cooler with temps back towards normal on Thursday along with some rain and possible iso. t'storms. Lingering showers on Friday and it could be the start of a some much cooler than normal temperatures. If we end up hitting only 59 degrees-- it'll be our coolest afternoon since May 3rd. WGN weekly climate report: Hellooooo October! The tenth month of the year for Chicagoland comes with many many changes. We'll get those in a moment—but first we'll look back at Septembe...

UNWTO General Assembly to be held in Uzbekistan for first time in history

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

The 25th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is scheduled for 16-20 October this year in Samarkand. For the first time in history, Uzbekistan will host this important biennial gathering of member states and affiliate members of UNWTO. Promo video.The event will bring together heads of government agencies, representatives of the tourism industry, and international business corporations engaged in the sector from around 159 countries.Heads of travel agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Côte d'Ivoire, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Monaco, Niger, Panama, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Ukraine, Uruguay and Yemen are expected to attend in Samarkand.Uzbekistan has been admitted as a member of the Committee on Credentials of the UNWTO Executive Council for 2023-2027. This means that Uzbekistan can monitor compliance with the important decisions and documents adop...

Kaiser Permanente employees poised for 3 day strike this week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

Employees at Kaiser Permanente could begin striking as soon as this Wednesday after the labor contract for 75,000 unionized health care workers with the company expired, potentially triggering the largest strike of health care workers in United States history.  “Our patients are not safe and getting the care that they deserve while we’re in the staffing crisis,” Datosha Williams, a member of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, told KTLA. “Us going on strike is us standing up to Kaiser executives to have them fix and address the staffing crisis.”  A spokesperson for Kaiser, however, said that progress has been made at the bargaining table and urged workers to reject all calls for a strike.  SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West announced on Sept. 14 that 98% of its members voted to approve the Oct. 4-6 strike in protest of “unfair labor practices” if an agreement was not reached before the contract expired, City News Service reported.  "There have been good discussions ...

Women’s voices and votes loom large as pope is to open a Vatican meeting on church’s future

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A few years ago, Pope Francis told the head of the main Vatican-backed Catholic women’s organization to be “brave” in pushing for change for women in the Catholic Church. Maria Lia Zervino took his advice and in 2021 wrote Francis a letter, then made it public, saying flat out that the Catholic Church owed a big debt to half of humanity and that women deserved to be at the table where church decisions are made, not as mere “ornaments” but as protagonists.Francis appears to have taken note, and this week he will open a global gathering of Catholic bishops and laypeople discussing the future of the church, where women — their voices and their votes — are taking center stage for the first time.For Zervino, who worked alongside the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio when both held positions in the Argentine bishops’ conference, the gathering is a watershed moment for the church and quite possibly the most consequential thing Francis will have undertake...

UK Treasury chief says he’ll hike the minimum wage but rules out tax cuts while inflation stays high

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Britain’s Treasury chief is to announce a hike in the national minimum wage on Monday, as the governing Conservative Party tries to persuade voters it is on the side of those who are struggling financially.Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has ruled out tax cuts, saying they would fuel inflation.According to excerpts of Hunt’s speech released in advance by the Conservative Party, he will tell the Conservatives’ annual conference that the hourly rate for workers 23 or older will rise in April from 10.42 pounds ($12.70) to at least 11 pounds ($13.40). The exact amount will be set after a recommendation by the Low Pay Commission, an advisory body.That will mean a raise for more than 2 million workers.,Hunt is also to pledge to toughen the rules on social benefits in an attempt to stem the flow of working-age people out of the workforce, a trend that has accelerated since the coronavirus pandemic.“Those who won’t even look for work do not deserve t...

Nobel Prize announcements are getting underway with the unveiling of the medicine prize

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Six days of Nobel Prize announcements begin Monday with the unveiling of the winner of the medicine award.The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was won last year by Swedish scientist Svante Paabo for discoveries in human evolution that unlocked secrets of Neanderthal DNA which provided key insights into our immune system, including our vulnerability to severe COVID-19.The award was the second in the family. Paabo’s father, Sune Bergstrom, won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1982.Nobel announcements continue with the physics prize on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday and the economics award on Oct. 9.The prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million). The money comes from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896.The prize money was raised by 1 million kronor this year because of the plunging value of the Swedish currency.The l...

Daily horoscope for October 2, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:21 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or important decisions after 9 p.m. EDT today (6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Taurus into Gemini.Happy Birthday for Monday, Oct. 2, 2023:You are intelligent, direct and to the point. You think quickly and act quickly because you are a decisive person. You love stimulating conversation. This is the first year of a nine-year cycle for you, which means you must be flexible, courageous and ready to explore new directions.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★Today you might be in touch with original, innovative, moneymaking ideas. These could be ideas you want to explore on your own or they might relate to your job. Possibly, a colleague will tell you something that surprises you, and it also affects your earnings. Tonight: Conversations!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★Today you feel pumped with energy and are raring to go! You might impulsively accept an invitation to socialize with others, or it could relate to dealing with kids or even somethi...