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California governor to name Laphonza Butler, former Kamala Harris adviser, to Feinstein Senate seat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom will name Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and adviser to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a spokesman in his office said Sunday.In choosing Butler, Newsom fulfilled his pledge to appoint a Black woman if Feinstein’s seat should become open. However, he had been facing pressure by some Black politicians and advocacy groups to select Rep. Barbara Lee, a prominent Black congresswoman who is already running for the seat.Butler will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate, and the first openly LGBTQ person to represent California in the chamber.The long-serving Democratic senator died last Thursday after a series of illnesses. Butler leads Emily’s List, a political organization that supports Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights. She also is a former labor leader with SEIU 2015, a powerful force in California politics.Butler ...

Unpacking EU packaging regulations 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

When we first launched Together for Sustainable Packaging — an alliance of businesses and associations from a wide cross-section of the food and hospitality European economy, known as HORECA (hotel, restaurant, catering) — in April this year, the debate around the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) proposal was still in its infancy. That is no longer the case. It has become one of the most frequently discussed policy issues of recent memory, and not without reason. The implications of the proposals reach far into the EU economy and business sectors, and will hugely affect all consumers across Europe and beyond. The implications of the proposals reach far into the EU economy and business sectors, and will hugely affect all consumersWe launched the alliance because, while we fully support the overall goals of the EU’s Green Deal, we were worried about the unintended consequences of the proposed PPWR legislation for the environment, the economy, food safety and consum...

New EU packaging rules can only work if they are fair for all

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

Simon Spillane, Director, The Brewers of EuropeThe European Union has rightly identified packaging as an area where we all can and should do more to cut waste. Last November, the European Commission released plans intended to ensure that all packaging be reusable or recyclable in an economically feasible way by 2030. The draft Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) aims to slash packaging waste by 5 percent from 2018 levels by the end of this decade and by 15 percent by the end of 2040.The beer sector welcomes the overall aims of the PPWR. It fits with our values. Leading by example, brewers have a core belief that while making beer to bring communities together and contribute to the EU economy, we can have a positive impact on the planet.But the small print of the proposal, being scrutinized by the Council and on which MEPs are set to vote on October 24, currently includes measures that discriminate against certain sectors, notably beer brewers. It includes misguided restr...

Tory conference is a beauty pageant for leadership hopefuls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

MANCHESTER, England — Britain’s most ambitious Conservative politicians are on a mission to charm the party’s grassroots this week. Just don’t call it a leadership bid.As the ruling Tories gather in Manchester for their annual party conference, projecting a united pre-election message is not the only item on the agenda. With opinion polls still suggesting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could suffer a shattering defeat at the next general election, the question of who might take his place will be privately occupying some of his more aspiring colleagues.Party conference has been a litmus test in the past of grassroots support for wannabe leaders — and with a general election expected next spring or next fall, this could be the last before voters deliver their verdict on Sunak. POLITICO spoke to Conservative advisers and ministers past and present, some of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal party dynamics, in a bid to take the temperature.Here we go againThe Tories h...

Gov. Newsom to name Laphonza Butler, former Kamala Harris adviser, to Feinstein Senate seat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom will name Laphonza Butler, a Democratic strategist and adviser to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a spokesman in his office said Sunday.In choosing Butler, Newsom fulfilled his pledge to appoint a Black woman if Feinstein’s seat should become open. However, he had been facing pressure by some Black politicians and advocacy groups to select Rep. Barbara Lee, a prominent Black congresswoman who is already running for the seat. The long-serving Democratic senator died last Thursday after a series of illnesses. Butler leads Emily’s List, a political organization that supports Democratic women candidates who favor abortion rights. She also is a former labor leader with SEIU 2015, a powerful force in California politics. Butler currently lives in Maryland, according to her Emily's List biography.She did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokes...

Church roof collapses in north Mexico, killing at least nine and injuring about 50, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

CIUDAD MADERO, Mexico (AP) — The roof of a church collapsed in northern Mexico during a Mass on Sunday, killing at least nine people and injuring around 50, authorities said as searchers probed in the wreckage late into the night looking for survivors and other victims.Approximately 30 parishioners were believed to have been trapped in the rubble when the roof caved in, officials said. Searchers crawled under the roof slabs and officials brought in dogs to help search for possible survivors.The Tamaulipas state police said about 100 people were in the church at the time of the collapse. The state security spokesman’s office said late Sunday that nine people had been confirmed dead from the collapse, which it described as likely being caused by “a structural failure.”Tamaulipas state police said units of the National Guard, the state police and state civil defense office and the Red Cross were involved in the operation. The Mexican Council of Bishops issued a statement saying t...

3 injured after shots fired into crowd at car show in East Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — Three people were injured after shots were fired into a crowd at a car show in East Chicago on Sunday afternoon, police say.Officers say it all happened around 3:45 p.m. at the Stunna Beach Bash Custom Car Show and Sound Competition at Jeorse Park Beach.  2 dead after boat runs aground along Fox River in McHenry East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera and a Deputy Chief, who were working at the event, were trying to break up a fight in front of a stage when several gunshots were fired into a large crowd, causing panic among the eventgoers. Chief Rivera spotted the alleged shooter and chased him down after they attempted to flee between vehicles in the parking lot.According to Chief Rivera, the man eventually surrendered and was taken into custody. Police say the man was injured in the altercation and was taken to the hospital, however, it is unclear if he suffered any gunshot wounds. Officers say a preliminary investigation revealed that there were two shoo...

Sunday Forecast: Clear skies & mild

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

Sunday Night: Clear skies & mild for the season. Patchy fog after midnight. SE 0-5 mph. Low near 60 in the city. 50s suburbs. Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Monday: Sunny & continued warm. Cooler lakeside. SSW 5-10 mph. High mid 80s. Extended outlook calls for more sun & unseasonably warm weather to continue into Tues. Wednesday warm in the low 80s with increasing clouds and a chance of showers/thunderstorms later in the day. High temps back to normal on Thu with highs near 70 and some rain at times and iso. thunderstorms. A few showers on Friday and a high in the upper 60s.Next weekend looks to have some temps that feel a bit more like fall than summer. 

Small child among 3 injured in shooting at East Chicago barbecue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. — Police say two people were injured and a small child suffered a graze wound after a shooting in East Chicago on Sunday.According to police, the shooting happened while a group of people were having a barbecue in the 3400 block of Guthrie Street. 3 injured after shots fired into crowd at car show in East Chicago Officers say the group was gathered in the area when a person pulled up in a grey vehicle and fired several shots at the group.Police say one person was shot in the arm, another was shot in the leg and a small child suffered a graze wound. Officers say the injuries were not life-threatening.Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting and police say no arrests have been made.Anyone with information on the shooting can leave a tip for East Chicago police at 219-391-8500.

104-year-old Chicago woman becomes oldest person to tandem skydive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:18 GMT

OTTAWA, Ill. — A 104-year-old Chicago woman set the record for oldest person to tandem skydive on Saturday.Family, friends and neighbors gathered at Skydive Chicago Airport in Ottawa to celebrate Dorothy Hoffner as she broke the record, becoming the oldest person ever to tandem skydive out of an airplane.Dorothy’s partner, a US Parachute Association instructor, was quickly impressed."She seems to know what she’s doing so it makes my job a whole lot easier," instructor Derek Baxter said. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines That’s because Dorothy does know what she’s doing, she jumped out of a plane once before, when she was 100."I was having dinner with Dorothy and I mentioned I was going skydiving and she said I want to do it too," said Dorothy's friend Joseph Conan.Dorothy had such a good time, that she brought up again this year."I looked up to see who the oldest skydiver in the history of the world was and it was a Swedish woman who was 103, and I realized Dorothy would br...