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Alaska’s Willow oil project is controversial. Here’s why.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Biden administration is approving a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to President Joe Biden’s climate goals.The decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, was revealed Monday.Q: What is the Willow project?A: The project could produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil a day, according to the company — about 1.5% of total U.S. oil production. The project is the largest proposed oil drilling on U.S. public land and the biggest oil field in Alaska in decades. Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said the development could be “one of the biggest, most important resource development projects in our state’s history.” On average, about 499,700 barrels of oil a day flow through the trans-Alaska pipeline, well below the late-1980s peak o...

Volkswagen to build EV battery plant in Ontario

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

ST. THOMAS, Ont. — Volkswagen has announced it plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant in St. Thomas, in southwestern Ontario.The European automaker says the Volkswagen Group and its battery company PowerCo will establish its first overseas “gigafactory” for battery cell manufacturing, with the start of production planned for 2027.The company signed an agreement last year with the federal government to work to identify suitable sites for such a facility in Canada, and they had also committed to investigate ways for Canada to contribute to Volkswagen’s battery supply chains, including raw materials and assembly.Ontario set the stage last month for the announcement, introducing and quickly passing a law adjusting the municipal boundaries for a 1,500-acre “mega site” in southwestern Ontario.Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli said at the time that the site straddled St. Thomas and Central Elgin, and putting the entire piece of land within St....

‘The Last of Us’ TV adaptation resonates beyond gamers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the HBO series “The Last of Us,” a fungal infection has taken over Earth, rendering the United States an apocalyptic landscape protagonists Joel and Ellie need to traverse. Fans unfamiliar with the video game, from which the series was adapted, might assume this is just another zombie show packed with action and gore.However, the story and the characters have subverted expectations and received praise from all corners. “The Last of Us,” whose first season concluded Sunday, has not only won over gamers with high expectations, but also people who don’t play video games. The series premiere drew 4.7 million viewers in the U.S., based on Nielsen and HBO data, making for HBO’s second-largest debut, behind “House of the Dragon.”“No one could have anticipated this, this reaction and how positive it’s been and how broad it’s been in its reach,” said Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog co-president and the creator and writer of the video game, whose critically accla...

New this week: ‘Ted Lasso,’ U2 and ‘The Boston Strangler’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.MOVIES— Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon play the Boston Record American reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, who connected several Boston-area murders in the early 1960s to a single suspect they dubbed the Boston Strangler. The serial killer sexually assaulted and killed at least 11 women between 1962 and 1964. The case has been the subject of many books and movies over the years, but writer-director Matt Ruskin’s is the first to focus on the reporters. “The Boston Strangler” debuts on Hulu on Friday.— A new documentary on Netflix, “Money Shot: The Pornhub Story” arriving Wednesday, takes a look at the phenomenon of Pornhub and the accusations that the pornographic website hosted and profited from videos of rape and underage sex. The filmmakers speaks to lawyers, Pornhub employees who were told that “nothing w...

S&P/TSX composite down almost 100 points, U.S. markets rise despite bank failures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

TORONTO — U.S. stock markets ticked higher mid-morning after a rocky start to what’s shaping up to be a volatile trading day amid fears of financial contagion in the U.S. after the second- and third-largest bank failures in that country’s history, while Canada’s main stock index edged lower on weakness in the energy and financial sectors. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 95.75 points at 19,679.17.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 252.38 points at 32,162.02. The S&P 500 index was up 31.55 points at 3,893.14,while the Nasdaq composite was up 146.71 points at 11,285.60.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.06 cents US compared with 72.43 cents US on Friday.The April crude contract was down a dollar at US$75.68 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was up 15 cents at US$2.58 per mmBTU.The April gold contract was up US$44.10 at US$1,906.10 an ounce and the May copper contract was down a penny at US$4.04 a pound.This report by The Canadian Pr...

Rights group: Egypt withheld documents of dissidents abroad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

Egypt’s authorities refused to produce or renew documents for dozens of journalists, critics and lawyers living abroad, a leading rights group said Monday, in a clampdown on dissent that reaches overseas.According to an investigation undertaken by U.S.-based Human Rights Watch last year, Egyptian authorities refused to provide or renew birth certificates, passports and other essential documents despite requests from some 26 Egyptians residing abroad.The 26 dissidents, journalists and lawyers were living in Turkey, Germany, Malaysia, Qatar and two other undisclosed countries in Africa and the Gulf when the investigation took place, HRW said. Egypt’s authorities did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for comment.Since coming to power in 2013, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s government has overseen a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands. Authorities have targeted not only Islamist political opponents but also pro-democracy activists, journa...

Activists: Slow response led to 30 migrant deaths off Libya

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

MILAN (AP) — An activist network that supports rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea is accusing Italy of failing to offer timely assistance to a smugglers’ boat in distress, resulting in a deadly shipwreck that left at least 30 migrants missing and presumed dead in Libya’s search-and-rescue area.Seventeen survivors were rescued in an operation about 100 miles off the Libyan coast Sunday partially coordinated by the Italian Coast Guard. The incident comes two weeks after another shipwreck off the coast of southern Italy left at least 79 people dead.The wrecks have focused attention on Italian and European protocols for responding to suspected smuggling boats; crossings through the deadly central Mediterranean Sea have doubled over past year.The migrants in the most recent incident died when their wooden boat capsized as a merchant vessel, the Froland, approached the boat in distress that was carrying nearly 50 people. Alarm Phone, which notifies authorities of migrants in need ...

$11 million to restore the Upper Des Plaines River watershed ecosystem

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a new project in Lake County following an $11 million earmark.Construction will begin soon on a "combined flood protection and ecosystem restoration project for the Upper Des Plaines River watershed," according to a release from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin's office. Chicago man files class action suit against Buffalo Wild Wings, says boneless wings are just nuggets Durbin (D-IL) is scheduled to hold a news conference Monday to discuss the project and the federal funding earmarked for the ecosystem restoration portion.WGN plans to livestream the event within this story beginning at approximately 11:15 a.m.

WATCH LIVE | 'Gender equity' across Chicago's city workforce

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot plans to announce changes for the city's employees at a Monday morning press conference.Details of the announcement have not been provided as of this article's writing. A press release from Lightfoot's office states "Mayor Lightfoot will join community and City leaders for announcements related to gender equity across the City workforce." Biden tells U.S. to have confidence in banks after collapse The event is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. from the mayor's press briefing room.WGN is planning to livestream the event in its entirety within this story beginning at approximately 11 a.m.

Drake's 2023 North American tour with 21 Savage announced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:54:29 GMT

Four-time Grammy-winner Drake is teaming up with collaborator 21 Savage for a North American arena tour this year.The It's All a Blur Tour will kick off June 16 in New Orleans and stop in Dallas, Miami, New York, Montreal, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Additional shows including Toronto will be announced later. ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ wins Oscar for Best Picture, 7 total awards The Canadian rapper-singer and Spotify’s most-streamed artist in the U.S. last year put out two albums in 2022, “Honestly, Nevermind” and his collaboration with 21 Savage, “Her Loss.” His last headlining tour was in 2018.During a show at the famed Apollo Theater earlier this year, he hinted at a tour and possibly even more music on the horizon.Several of the stops will be two-night stands, including in Atlanta, Chicago and Boston.Presales will be available through Cash App and Sprite beginning Wednesday and general sales will start Friday.