Category: World

Union Pacific railroad ordered to improve service so it can deliver grain to CA livestock

January 4, 2023 Published by

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Federal regulators have ordered Union Pacific railroad to make sure a livestock producer gets the grain it needs in California to prevent millions of chickens and hundreds of thousands of cattle from starving.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board told the railroad it must improve service to Foster Farms to keep it from running out of feed for livestock it raises. It’s is the second time in the past year regulators issued an emergency order related to delivery problems at Foster Farms, which is based in Livingston, California, as the railroad struggled with a shortage of crews.

This time, however, Union Pacific blamed the weather for its problems. Spokesman Mike Jaixen said last month’s extreme cold and blizzard conditions slowed deliveries in 20 of the 23 western states the railroad operated in, and additional problems are possible because of the forecast for more severe winter weather.

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD SHIPPING EMBARGOES RAISE COMPLAINTS

“Union Pacific remains committed to serving all of our customers as efficiently as possible, including Foster Farms, weather permitting,” Jaixen said.

Foster Farms called on the STB to get Union Pacific to give priority to grain trains heading from the Midwest to the livestock producer’s facilities in Traver, Turlock, and Delhi, California.

Union Pacific said the problems at Foster Farms should improve once five trains hauling corn that are already en route arrive, but Jaixen declined to provide an update on those trains Tuesday. The railroad is submitting updates to the STB, but it wants to keep that customer-specific information confidential.

Foster Farms attorney Thomas Wilcox said in a letter to regulators that the company has little faith that UP will deliver on its promises because the railroad has failed to deliver any of its grain trains on time in the past two weeks.

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So in the meantime, Foster Farms has been buying dozens of truckloads of expensive corn to keep its chickens alive while it waits for the grain trains to be delivered, but those truck deliveries can’t continue to meet its needs.

Union Pacific said its performance has improved since the spring when Foster Farms and many other shippers went before the STB to complain about chronic delivery problems at most of the major freight railroads that were disrupting their businesses.

UP and the other major freight railroads have hired hundreds of new workers since the start of the year to help them better handle all the shipments. But railroad executives acknowledge that their service still isn’t meeting customer expectations and must continue to improve.

Regulators also recently criticized Union Pacific’s practice of imposing limits on customer shipments as part of its effort to clear up congestion along the Omaha, Nebraska, based railroad’s network of 32,400 miles of track across the Western half of the United States.

 

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Quadrantid meteor shower peaks as moon creates poor viewing conditions

January 4, 2023 Published by

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The Quadrantid meteor shower, the first of the year and one of the best displays, was peaking Wednesday morning amid a bright moon and cloudy weather conditions. 

The full moon will occur on Friday, bringing bright moonlight in the days ahead. 

According to Space.com, the moon’s shine has made it hard to see all but the very brightest meteors this year, which are most visible before the break of dawn. 

Another obstacle is active weather this week over much of the U.S.

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FOX Weather reported Tuesday that parts of western Texas could have a shot at a clear view.

According to NASA, the Quadrantids originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1.

The shower radiates from the northeast corner of the constellation Boötes, originally known as “Quadrans Muralis.” 

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE IMAGE CAPTURES ‘GLITTERING SWARM’ OF STARS ABOUT 28,000 LIGHT-YEARS AWAY

Beginning in late December and running through Jan. 16, the Quadrantids peak for just a few hours. 

As many as 200 Quadrantid meteors – and as few as 60 – can be seen per hour under perfect conditions.

They are also known for their bright fireball meteors and are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Next year is expected to be a better viewing experience, but skywatchers can see the α-Centaurid meteor shower peak just before Valentine’s Day.

 

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T.J. Holmes’s estranged wife slams his ‘lack of discretion, respect’ over Amy Robach cheating scandal

January 4, 2023 Published by

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Marilee Fiebig, the estranged wife of suspended ABC News host T.J. Holmes, broke her silence about the ongoing cheating scandal that ended her 12-year marriage and blasted her soon-to-be ex-husband’s lack of discretion. 

Holmes and his “GMA3” co-host Amy Robach have dominated tabloids in recent weeks after their marriage-wrecking affair became public. The lovebirds are sidelined pending an internal investigation, but have caught putting on public displays of affection while they remain off air. The New York Post recently published steamy photos of them canoodling headlined, “T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach make out like teenagers on Miami vacation.” 

Divorce attorney Stephanie Lehman, who is representing Fiebig, said her client’s “sole focus has remained on the overall best interest of her 9-year-old daughter,” and they hope to finalize as amicably as possible. 

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“Notwithstanding, we continue to be disappointed by T.J’s lack of discretion, respect and sensitivity toward Marilee and the party’s daughter,” Lehman told Fox News Digital. 

The statement was first given to Daily Mail, the outlet that first exposed the extramarital affair that has rocked Disney’s ABC News. 

Holmes and Robach have been “locked in a passionate romance despite both being married to their respective spouses for the past 12 years,” the Daily Mail reported in November in a story that included several other intimate photos of the ABC News anchors. 

ABC, NPR, CNN, NBC, WASHINGTON POST AMONG MEDIA OUTLETS THAT HAD GAFFES, SCANDALS AND DEBACLES IN 2022

“Marilee has been touched by the outpouring of support and looks forward to a new beginning in this new year,” Lehman added.

CBS’ GAYLE KING RIPS ‘VERY MESSY’ T.J. HOLMES, AMY ROBACH AFFAIR AT ABC

Robach has been married to former “Melrose Place” star Andrew Shue, while Holmes has been married to Fiebig. The estranged couple co-wrote a 2021 children’s book titled “Better Together,” based on their blended family. Robach’s marriage are reportedly ending, too. 

“CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King recently called the scandal inside the rival network “very messy and very sloppy,” and also expressed concern for the children involved.

“In the beginning I actually thought good on ‘Good Morning America,’ they’re not taking them off the air, two consenting adults, but then the more you read, it’s just very messy, and I think, to me, it’s a sad situation. You’ve got kids involved, you’ve got families involved, and I keep thinking about that,” King told Bravo’s Andy Cohen. “I’m very concerned about that.”

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Reporter calls out Biden for complaining of ‘poison’ politics while smearing Republicans as ‘segregationists’

January 4, 2023 Published by

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A reporter called out President Biden for urging an end to the “poison of politics” during his Christmas address after spending much of the year smearing Republicans as “segregationists” Wednesday.

The exchange came when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a gaggle with the press aboard Air Force One on Wednesday. The reporter pointed to Biden’s Christmas address, in which he urged Americans to reject the “poison of politics.”

“In the president’s Christmas address he called for Americans to reject the poison of politics, but last year he compared his political opponents to segregationists, labeled them semi-fascist. Don’t comments like that contribute to political poison?” the reporter asked.

“Look, the president is going to call out what he sees. That is his job as a president” Jean-Pierre responded. “He has talked about how our democracy has been under attack, how we have to protect our democracy.”

PRESIDENT BIDEN AND KARINE JEAN-PIERRE’S MOST MEMORABLE BATTLES WITH THE PRESS OF 2022

“As you know, last year he made two incredibly important speeches on that. He’s gonna call that out, but at the same time … he’s optimistic,” she continued. “He believes there [are] still possibilities to bring the country together, and that’s a big reason why he was elected back in 2020.”

Biden had faced widespread criticism on social media for his “unity” themed Christmas speech.

“I sincerely hope this holiday season will drain the poison that has infected our politics and set us against one another,” Biden said at the time. “I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation, because there’s so much that unites us as Americans. So much more that unites us than divides us. We’re truly blessed to live in this nation. And I truly hope we take the time to look out for one another not at one another.”

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Conservative Twitter users attacked Biden’s unity speech after he frequently attacked “MAGA Republicans,” as well as unvaccinated Americans in previous addresses to the nation.

Earlier in his administration, Biden had attacked Republicans as segregationists for passing what he described as a “Jim Crow 2.0” voting law in Georgia. The law ultimately resulted in record-breaking voter participation in Georgia during the 2022 midterm elections.

“How does Joe Biden get away with this phony unity rhetoric after he smeared half the country as domestic terrorists and compared anyone who opposes his radical agenda to segregationists?” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s spokesman Chad Gilmartin wrote last week.

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“Says the guy who tried to turn Americans against each other over a vaccine and often yells about ~half the country being fascists. Spare us, you old grinch,” Townhall.com managing editor Spencer Brown wrote. 

Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

 

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$785M Mega Millions prize is 6th largest in US history

January 4, 2023 Published by

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Mega Millions lottery playing slips are shown at a supermarket kiosk, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Surfside, Fla. The jackpot for the Tuesday drawing is estimated at $785 million. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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Mega Millions lottery playing slips are shown at a supermarket kiosk, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Surfside, Fla. The jackpot for the Tuesday drawing is estimated at $785 million. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $785 million Mega Millions jackpot set for Tuesday night will give lottery players a chance to start the new year with a lucrative bang.

The big prize is the sixth-largest jackpot in U.S. history and has grown so large because no one has matched all six of the game’s numbers for more than two months. There have been 22 straight drawings without a big winner, allowing the prize to roll over and become ever-larger.

The jackpot-winning drought isn’t surprising given the miserable odds of one in 302.6 million of winning the top prize.

The $785 million jackpot is for a winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity over 29 years. Nearly all winners opt for a cash payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $395 million.

The jackpot is the largest since someone in California won a record $2.04 billion Powerball prize on Nov. 8. There still has not been an announced winner of that jackpot.

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Pakistan to shut markets and restaurants early to save power amid economic crisis

January 4, 2023 Published by


Islamabad/New Delhi
CNN
 — 

Pakistan’s economic woes show no signs of letting up in 2023.

The South Asian nation announced a new energy conservation plan Tuesday as its fragile economy continues to struggle with multiple challenges. The government has ordered all markets to close by 8.30 pm and restaurants by 10 pm, according to a tweet by its ruling party. These measures will help the country save 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($274 million), the post added.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also ordered all federal departments to reduce their energy consumption by 30%. The country is in the midst of a severe energy crisis and is heavily dependent on imported fuel.

The announcement comes at a time when Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to alarmingly low levels. In December, Pakistan’s total liquid foreign exchange reserves stood at $11.7 billion, which is half the amount it held at the start of last year, according to the central bank.

The country’s finances are also suffering because of differences with The International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a review process, which has delayed the release of a $1.1 billion bailout tranche.

“Survival without IMF is not an option given the scale of the external financing needs,” wrote analysts at Arif Habib, a Karachi-based research firm, in a recent report.

Pakistan had tried several measures to save energy last year as well, including reducing its working week.


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[World] What does the US Speaker of the House do?

January 4, 2023 Published by

BBC News world-us_and_canada 

Reuters

US House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is struggling to gets the votes to become Speaker
By Kayla Epstein
BBC News, New York

A historic drama is playing out in the US House of Representatives as they attempt to choose a Speaker of the House.

Representative Kevin McCarthy, the leader of the House Republicans, has lost four consecutive votes for Speaker due to opposition from his own party.

The Speaker of the House is an immensely powerful role that allows for near-total control over the chamber’s functions.

Here’s what you need to know about one of the most important jobs in American politics.

What is a Speaker of the House?

The US Constitution established the role of Speaker of the House, which oversees the lower chamber of Congress. The Speaker is both traditionally and historically a sitting member of the majority party, though this is not a constitutional requirement.

Therefore, in addition to leading the House of Representatives, they are also leader of the majority party in the chamber.

Follow live updates from the chaos in CongressIf not McCarthy for US House Speaker, who else?

At a practical level, the Speaker sets the House’s legislative agenda, control committee assignments, set the vote and work calendar, and are responsible for keeping their party members unified behind major initiatives.

Why is the Speaker of the House so important?

Wielded effectively, the position of Speaker of the House is one of the most powerful in Washington. Depending on the partisan makeup of Congress, they can make or break a US president’s agenda, stymie opposition, and spearhead their party’s biggest legislative initiatives.

A shrewd and effective Speaker will be able to marshal their members behind their party’s agenda, and control rebellious lawmakers by doling out incentives or punishments.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who stepped down from the position when Republicans took control of the House this week, was regarded as one of the most effective modern Speakers of the House.

Though the Democratic caucus she oversaw contained multiple factions, including progressives, moderates, and more conservative-leaning Democrats, she was able to use the tools available to the Speaker to keep a united front when it came to most major votes.

How is a Speaker chosen?

The House of Representatives functions on a two-year cycle, known as a “session.” The new Congress began on 3 January 2023 and Republicans will be in the majority.

The very first thing a new session of the House of Representatives must do is vote for a Speaker of the House. Without that person in place, the chamber cannot move on to any other function, including swearing-in members. The chamber must continue to hold votes until a Speaker is elected.

The vote for Speaker requires a candidate to receive the support of a majority of the House – 218 votes. The existing leader of the majority party is usually presumed to be the person to assume the speakership.

For more than a century, the Speaker of the House was decided on the first vote. But that’s not the case this week.

Why is the 2023 Speaker’s election so unusual?

This year, Mr McCarthy, the Republican leader, seeks to become Speaker of the House now that his party is in the majority. But things haven’t gone according to plan.

On 3 January, Mr McCarthy failed repeatedly to garner 218 votes, even though his party currently holds 222 seats. A group of rebel Republicans has formed a wall of opposition, refusing to vote for Mr McCarthy in three separate rounds of ballots.

His detractors say he is beholden to special interests and not sufficiently conservative.

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Watch: Kevin McCarthy’s whirlwind day – in 90 seconds

The stalemate has left the House of Representatives unable to move on to any other business, including swearing-in members or establishing the chamber’s rules for this session. Another round of votes will begin on Wednesday, but it’s unclear if Mr McCarthy will win back support. He will either have to prevail, or step aside for another candidate, or the House will not be able to function.

Does the House of Representatives have a minority leader?

For the party in the minority, the head of their caucus is known simply as the “minority leader.”

They do not have control over the House’s functions like the Speaker does, but instead wield power within their caucus to keep lawmakers unified in opposition to the majority or advance bipartisan efforts.

In the 118th Congress, the Democrats are in the minority. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York was selected as the Democratic minority leader.

 

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[World] Somalia car bombs: At least 35 die in Mahas attacks

January 4, 2023 Published by

BBC News world 

Getty Images

Pro-government forces have taken territory from al-Shabab in recent months

At least 35 people have been killed in a double car bombing in central Hiraan province, Somalia, police say.

The al-Qaeda linked group al-Shabab has said it was behind the attack.

The district commissioner of Mahas town said his home and that of a local MP were the targets.

However, “most of the dead are civilians,” including “women and children”, the local deputy policy commissioner told the Reuters news agency.

The blasts were so powerful that witnesses said people far away from the explosion sites were wounded by flying fragments.

“This was a horrible attack,” witness Adan Hassan told the AFP news agency, describing the dead bodies he saw.

Al-Shabab has been losing ground in recent months after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pledged “total war” against the Islamist militants in August, following an attack on a popular Mogadishu hotel, which saw more than 20 people die.

Two months later, twin car bomb explosions near a busy junction in Mogadishu killed at least 100 people. Al-Shabab also said it was behind that attack.

President Mohamud subsequently mobilised the Somali army and government-backed clan militias in a bid to take villages and towns from al-Shabab, which controls large swathes of the country.

Despite their losses of territory, al-Shabab has continued to carry out attacks in central and southern Somalia.

Both African Union forces and US funds have been allocated to assist Somalia in its fight against al-Shabab.

Africa Live: More on this and other stories from the continent

 

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[World] Pope Benedict had ‘undeniable’ presence on Francis, says archbishop

January 4, 2023 Published by

BBC News world 

Getty Images

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is welcomed by Pope Francis at St Peter’s Square, Vatican, 2014
By Aleem Maqbool
Religion Editor, at the Vatican

Pope Benedict was still a “powerful presence” in the Vatican despite his retirement – the most senior British figure there has told the BBC.

The comments, by Archbishop Paul Gallagher, have come as the reigning pope, Francis, makes final preparations for the unusual event of a pontiff presiding at the funeral of his predecessor.

After Thursday’s burial of former pope Benedict XVI, there will be just one man wearing white in the corridors of the Vatican for the first time in nearly a decade.

It is rare for a senior Vatican figure to have spoken frankly about the relationship between the two popes.

“I think it is inevitable that the fact Pope Benedict has been living during these years of Pope Francis’s pontificate – it does have an effect,” said the archbishop, who has been the Vatican’s foreign secretary for much of the current papacy.

“I do not think it has obstructed Pope Francis in any way. He has done and said and decided what he wanted to do, but it is a powerful presence of your predecessor,” he said candidly.

In 2013, Pope Benedict became the first pope in more than 600 years to step down.

Archbishop Gallagher said that for Pope Francis, that was similar to the experience many other people go through doing a job in the shadow of a predecessor – and being compared to them.

Getty Images

The body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lies in state ahead of his funeral

Observers of Vatican affairs during this unusual time suggest that whether Benedict courted it or not, he became something of a lightning rod for internal criticism of Pope Francis.

“Obviously there have been, in the Church, people who have looked to Benedict to contrast certain decisions that have been made by Pope Francis,” said Archbishop Gallagher.

The relationship between the two popes had been excellent, said the archbishop, but critics of the current pope had tried to exploit their differences.

Over the past year, there has been much discussion here about the health of Pope Francis, who has cancelled some foreign trips on health grounds and spent most of his time in a wheelchair during other visits.

There was speculation that, although Pope Francis said he was prepared to step down if he felt he could not carry out the duties of the role in the way he would like to, he was reluctant to consider resigning while his predecessor was around.

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Watch: Pope Benedict XVI through the years

His foreign secretary, Archbishop Gallagher, acknowledged that events of the past week had changed the equation to potentially allow the current Pope to consider all options more freely.

“If we had three popes, that would be a little bit difficult to manage. But now that Pope Benedict has gone to the Lord, I think that Pope Francis will stick to those principles that he has established – that he will continue in this ministry as long as he believes that he is capable,” he said.

He clarified that he did not think a decision about stepping down was in any way imminent.

Getty Images

The body of former Pope Benedict XVI lies in state ahead of his funeral

Although the number of people who have come to pay their respects to Pope Benedict as he lies in state has far exceeded the figure the Vatican initially said it was expecting, it does not come close to the huge crowds that were drawn here in 2005 after the death of the popular Pope John Paul II.

That is partly, as Archbishop Gallagher acknowledges, because of Benedict XVI’s style of papacy, being viewed as more of a thinker than a pastor or a skilled politician.

Although the archbishop said he thought the writings and theological works of the Pope Emeritus would be studied long into the future.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher

There has also been much discussion in recent days about the complicated legacy of the former pontiff, particularly the issue of inadequately dealing with sex abuse perpetrators.

“I think that the evaluation [of Benedict XVI’s legacy on abuse] is obviously going to be critical, but I do believe that the election of Pope Benedict was a game changer in how the Church looked at the reality of abuse in the church,” said Archbishop Gallagher, suggesting that the late Pope started initiatives that Pope Francis has since moved forward with.

“Whether enough was done at the right speed, that will be left to history and I do not think anybody here would say that we have completed the job.”

Additional reporting by Harry Farley.

 

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Jeremy Renner undergoes surgery after snow plow accident

January 4, 2023 Published by

RENO, Nevada (AP) — Jeremy Renner suffered blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries in a snow plow accident in Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, a representative for the actor said Monday, and remains in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery.

A publicist for Renner said in a statement that the 51-year-old “Avengers” star is in an intensive care unit following surgery on Monday.

“Jeremy’s family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, Washoe County Sheriff, Reno City Mayor Hillary Schieve” and others, read the statement. “They are also tremendously overwhelmed and appreciative of the outpouring of love and support from his fans.”

Authorities and Renner’s representative haven’t said how the accident occurred. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said late Sunday that Renner had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital for treatment.

Renner was injured in an area near Mt. Rose Highway, a road linking Lake Tahoe, which straddles the Nevada-California border, and south Reno. Renner owns a home in Washoe County, which includes Reno, and told the Reno Gazette Journal in 2019 that he chose the area because Reno was the right-sized city for him, it has majestic scenery and it allowed him and his family to ski frequently.

Renner was the only person involved in Sunday’s accident, and the sheriff’s office said in a news release that it is investigating.

Renner plays Hawkeye, a sharp-shooting member of the superhero Avengers squad in Marvel’s sprawling movie and television universe.

He is a two-time acting Oscar nominee, scoring back-to-back nods for “The Hurt Locker” and “The Town.” Renner’s portrayal of a bomb disposal specialist in Iraq in 2009′s “The Hurt Locker” helped turn him into a household name.

“The Avengers” in 2012 cemented him as part of Marvel’s grand storytelling ambitions, with his character appearing in several sequels and getting its own Disney+ series, “Hawkeye.”

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