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Europe’s conservative lawmakers are at it again — this time on air pollution

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

STRASBOURG — There’s a strong sense of déjà vu in Strasbourg.Lawmakers are set to vote Wednesday on the European Parliament’s position on revising the bloc’s air pollution rules. But in what is quickly becoming a familiar story, major divisions between political groups means the vote will go down to the wire. Although the upcoming vote has not drawn nearly as much attention, echoes of July’s vote on restoring degraded ecosystems are palpable. Once again, there’s a key environmental vote in the European Parliament. Once again, lawmakers from the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) group are making an attempt to significantly downgrade the institution’s position — part of its broader efforts to dilute Green Deal legislation ahead of European Parliament election next year. And once again, the liberal Renew group remains split on the issue until the last minute. Ahead of a plenary debate on the subject Tuesday, Iratxe García Pérez, president of...

McDonald’s is getting rid of self-serve soda machines

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

New York (CNN) — McDonald’s is getting rid of one of its biggest perks.The fast food chain is eliminating its self-serve soda machines by 2032 at its US restaurants, the company said, explaining that the change will make the experience consistent for customers and crew across the chain.For decades, McDonald’s let customers fill (and refill) their own drinks at its dining rooms. However, consumer behavior has changed since the pandemic, and the chain has experienced a surge in business through its drive-thru and delivery services, with fewer people choosing to eat in its dining rooms, reducing the need for the machines.McDonald’s future includes restaurant designs with smaller or no dining rooms (and high-tech drive thrus) to reflect that new reality. Digital sales (i.e. orders made on its app or through its partners like Uber) now make up 40% of its total sales, according to its most recent earnings report.The chain also recently teased another major change, called “CosMc’...

Aaron Rodgers has torn left Achilles tendon, likely to miss the season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football WriterAaron Rodgers has a torn left Achilles tendon, according to a person familiar with the diagnosis, and the quarterback likely will miss the rest of the New York Jets’ season.An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the four-time NFL MVP’s injury, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce it. Coach Robert Saleh was scheduled to speak to reporters on a video call later Tuesday.NFL Network first reported Rodgers tore the Achilles tendon, confirming the Jets’ fears. Torn Achilles tendons typically take several months of recovery due to the extensive rehabilitation needed.“Concerned with his Achilles,” Saleh said after the Jets’ 22-16 overtime win over Buffalo on Monday night. “MRI is probably going to confirm what we think is going to happen, so prayers tonight. But it’s not good.”On his fourth regular-season snap in a Jets uniform, Rod...

US claims Google pays more than $10 billion a year to maintain its search dominance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

By PAUL WISEMAN and MICHAEL LIEDTKE (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Google has exploited its dominance of the internet search market to lock out competitors and smother innovation, the Department of Justice charged Tuesday at the opening of the biggest U.S. antitrust trial in a quarter century.“This case is about the future of the internet and whether Google’s search engine will ever face meaningful competition,” said Kenneth Dintzer, the Justice Department’s lead litigator.Over the next 10 weeks, federal lawyers and state attorneys general will try to prove Google rigged the market in its favor by locking its search engine in as the default choice in a plethora of places and devices. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta likely won’t issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google broke the law, another trial will decide what steps should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California-based company. Top executives at Google and its cor...

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has torn Achilles tendon, source says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

Aaron Rodgers has a torn left Achilles tendon, according to a person familiar with the diagnosis, and the quarterback likely will miss the rest of the New York Jets’ season.An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the four-time NFL MVP’s injury, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce it. Coach Robert Saleh was scheduled to speak to reporters on a video call later Tuesday.NFL Network first reported Rodgers tore the Achilles tendon, confirming the Jets’ fears. Torn Achilles tendons typically take several months of recovery due to the extensive rehabilitation needed.“Concerned with his Achilles,” Saleh said after the Jets’ 22-16 overtime win over Buffalo on Monday night. “MRI is probably going to confirm what we think is going to happen, so prayers tonight. But it’s not good.”On his fourth regular-season snap in a Jets uniform, Rodgers tried to avoid a rushing Leonard Floyd...

Republican speaker directs House panel to open Biden impeachment inquiry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he is directing a House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his family’s business dealings, launching historic proceedings ahead of the 2024 election.McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee’s investigation so far has found a “culture of corruption” around the Biden family as Republicans probe the business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, from before the Democratic president took office.“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said outside the speaker’s office at the Capitol. “That’s why today I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.”The announcement comes as the Republican leader faces mounting pressure from his right flank to take action against Biden while he also is struggling to pass legislation needed to avoid a fede...

Heavy rain brings flash flooding to parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

LEOMINSTER, Mass. (AP) — Heavy rainfall has flooded parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with one city declaring a state of emergency as water poured into homes, creating moats around their foundations and leading to boat rescues of residents. Concern about a dam listed in poor condition led to more evacuations.More storms were in the forecast for Wednesday, and although it was still early, winds and flooding from Hurricane Lee were expected to affect Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, southeastern New Hampshire and central and coastal Maine during the weekend, forecasters said.Mayor Dean Mazzarella in Leominster, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Boston, urged people not to venture outside as roads flooded Monday night, but some residents were evacuated as water came into their basements. All schools were closed Tuesday and two shelters were set up.“The storm stopped over us last night. It didn’t move for close to five hours. It had dumped 11 inches (28 centim...

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has torn left Achilles tendon, AP source says. He’s likely to miss the season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

Aaron Rodgers has a torn left Achilles tendon, according to a person familiar with the diagnosis, and the quarterback likely will miss the rest of the New York Jets’ season.An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the four-time NFL MVP’s injury, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce it. Coach Robert Saleh was scheduled to speak to reporters on a video call later Tuesday.NFL Network first reported Rodgers tore the Achilles tendon, confirming the Jets’ fears. Torn Achilles tendons typically take several months of recovery due to the extensive rehabilitation needed.“Concerned with his Achilles,” Saleh said after the Jets’ 22-16 overtime win over Buffalo on Monday night. “MRI is probably going to confirm what we think is going to happen, so prayers tonight. But it’s not good.”On his fourth regular-season snap in a Jets uniform, Rodgers tried to avoid a rushing Leonard Floyd, who wrapped up the quarterback and spun him do...

Former No. 1 tennis player Simona Halep gets 4-year ban in doping case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has been suspended from professional tennis for four years for doping violations, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said Tuesday.The 31-year-old Romanian had been accused of two doping offenses — failing a drug test during the 2022 U.S. Open and for irregularities in her Athlete Biological Passport, the ITIA said.A panel concluded that Halep “had committed intentional anti-doping rule violations.”Halep had been provisionally suspended since October 2022. The four-year ban will run to Oct. 6, 2026.Halep reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings in 2017. She won Wimbledon in 2019, beating 23-time major champion Serena Williams in the final, a year after winning the French Open.Halep, who had blamed a contaminated supplement, plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.“I am continuing to train and do everything in my power to clear my name of these false allegations and return to the court,” Halep said in a...

Critical health violations found in kitchen used by daycares after E. coli outbreak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:39:24 GMT

CALGARY — Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says there three critical violations were found at a central kitchen serving Calgary daycares affected by an E. coli outbreak.More than 200 people have fallen ill from the bacteria since the outbreak at 11 daycares was declared a week ago.Dr. Mark Joffe says the kitchen was closed immediately on Sept. 4 and that likely prevented the outbreak from being much worse.He says the violations, found the following day, related to food handling, sanitation and pest control.Alberta Health Services said as of Monday afternoon there were 231 lab-confirmed cases.Twenty-five children and one adult were receiving care in hospital, with 21 severely ill. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 12, 2023.The Canadian Press