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Offshore wind bill takes flight in session’s final hours

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.A decade after Maryland lawmakers first affirmed their support for bringing offshore wind energy to federal waters off the coast of Ocean City — and before a single wind turbine has gone into the water here — the General Assembly on Monday gave its final approval to a bill designed to expand the state’s offshore wind energy footprint even more.The measure crossed its final hurdles on Monday afternoon, when the House passed the Senate version of the bill by a vote of 101-38, and the Senate passed the House version late in the evening, 36-10, sending the legislation to Gov. Wes More’s desk. Moore (D), who has embraced the wind energy industry as a way to create hundreds of high-paying jobs and help combat climate change, has promised to sign it.The Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act, sponsored by Del. Lorig Charkoudia...

Coastal fog contributes to what NWS calls 'Graypril'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- If you’ve been in the desert or inland the last few days and experienced the warm up in temperatures and then come to the beach and experienced a complete lack of sunshine, there’s a reason for that and apparently a name for it too.“Not only do we have the “May gray” and the “June gloom”, but when it happens a little bit earlier in April, we call it “Gray-pril”, said Elizabeth Adams, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.None of these descriptions are official meteorological terms by the way, but they help describe what’s going on.“Basically what’s happening is the deserts are heating up and with that lower pressure with the heat in the desert, all of this marine layer air is pushing from the ocean on to the coast. That’s bringing cooler temperatures and higher humidity, which leads to that fog formation,” Adams said.Our Southern California coast has been noticeably missing the sunshine, covered in fog the last few days. Cold temperatures, strong winds in st...

Shootout in southwest Pakistan kills 4 policemen, militant

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces raided a suspected hideout of the Pakistani Taliban in the southwestern city of Quetta early Tuesday, triggering a shootout that killed four officers and a militant commander, officials said.The police launched the raid after being tipped off that the wanted militant commander was hiding in a home in the city’s Kuchlak neighborhood, said police official Naveed Shah. The officers demanded the suspect surrender but he instead opened fire at the security forces, killing four officers before being fatally shot. A search of the area was still underway, Shah said. Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, has seen a spike in violence recently, as has the rest of Pakistan. On Monday, two roadside bombs hours apart targeted police vehicles in Quetta, killing four people and wounding 22, mostly pedestrians. The bombings were claimed by the outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army, which was designated a terrorist group by the United St...

Fancy a dip? An Olympic reboot for Paris’ toxic River Seine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Even before he has dipped his toes into the murky waters of Paris ‘ famous but forbidden River Seine, French triathlete Thibaut Rigaudeau is already fielding questions from disbelieving friends. “Are you scared of swimming in the Seine?” he says they ask him. “It looks disgusting.'” For decades, it was. Though immortalized in art, literature and song, and cherished by lovers who whisper sweet nothings or tearfully part on the privacy of its banks, the river was ecologically dying. It was too toxic for most fish and for swimmers, largely useful only as a waterway for goods and people or as a watery grave for discarded bicycles and other trash. Swimming in the Seine has, with some exceptions, been off-limits since 1923.Now, however, its admittedly unappetizing green-brown waters hide a tale of rebirth. A costly and complex cleanup is resuscitating the Seine just in time for it to play a starring role in the 2024 Paris Olympics and, after that, for ...

Polish leader heads to US to further strengthen defense ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki flew Tuesday to the United States for meetings aimed at strengthening the economic and defense cooperation of the two nations.Morawiecki is due to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday at the White House. He is also scheduled to have meetings with the representatives of American defense companies during his three-day visit.“I am flying to the United States to strengthen the alliance with our most powerful ally, with a country that guarantees security in Europe, that especially guarantees security in our part of Europe,” Morawiecki said.Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, the United States increased its military presence in Poland — a nation on NATO’s eastern flank that borders Ukraine — and has used Poland as a transit country for military and humanitarian aid going into Ukraine. Poland is also a major donor of aid to Ukraine, and has been ordering tanks and other ...

Pope appeals to Russians on Ukraine, decries Middle East violence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

Pope Francis asked Russians to find the truth about Ukraine's invasion in Sunday's (9 April) Easter message to the world. He also appealed to Israel and Palestine to have dialogue following the recent violence.After suffering from bronchitis, Francis, 86, was forced to miss Friday's outdoor service because of unseasonal chill - he presided over a solemn Easter Day Mass in St. Peter's Square.For the most joyous and important date in the Church’s liturgical calendar, a carpet of 38,000 flowers was laid on the square. It commemorated the day Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. Both the Italian Carabinieri police and Vatican Swiss Guards honour units wore ceremonial attire to attract attention.The traditional pomp and holy singing gave way to modern realities. Later, Francis went to St. Peter's Basilica's central balcony to give his twice-yearly Urbi et Orbi (to the city of the world) message. He addressed a crowd that the Vatican estimated to be around 100,000.He spoke there f...

Is a nuclear war in the offing?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

In a recent bout of fiery language, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus - a precedent that has not been set since the mid-1990s, writes Salem AlKetbi, UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate.Official Russian media reported that President Putin claimed that this maneuver does not breach the agreements that limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons and likened it to the US positioning its weapons in Europe.President Putin further declared that Moscow will retain control over its weapons and that only a few Iskander missile systems capable of launching nuclear weapons have already been sent to Belarus. After 18 countries agreed to provide Ukraine with a minimum of one million artillery shells over the coming year, President Putin made his announcement.Moreover, British Deputy Defense Minister Annabel Goldie’s remarks about providing depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine ...

One injured in downtown San Jose shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

SAN JOSE – Authorities on Monday night were investigating an injury shooting in downtown San Jose.The shooting was reported just after 10:45 p.m. in the area of East Santa Clara and 3rd streets, according to the San Jose Police Department. Officers arrived to find at least one victim.The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that were described as not life-threatening, police said.East Santa Clara Street was closed in both directions for an investigation. Police urged people to avoid the area.Additional details about the shooting, including a suspect description, were not immediately available.Units are currently investigating a shooting incident in the area of E Santa Clara St and 3rd St. Officers located at least one gun shot victim that was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. TOC: 10:47 PM pic.twitter.com/5Qfezg9Zmd— San José Police Media Relations (@SJPD_PIO) April 11, 2023Check back for updates.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety...

Cyclist killed in Redwood City crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

(KRON) -- A bicyclist was killed in a crash in Redwood City on Monday, California Highway Patrol said in a tweet. The crash happened at about 5 p.m. on Cañada Road near Filoli Garden.Police said an Acura sedan was going northbound on Cañada Road when it crashed with the cyclist. CHP does know what caused the crash. Man arrested for driving drunk with kids, girlfriend in truck The cyclist suffered major injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as a 37-year-old Filipino man from South San Francisco. The driver and passenger of the Acura were hospitalized out of precaution. Witnesses of the crash are asked to contact CHP's Redwood City office at (650) 779-2700.

Taiwan’s Tsai says China not being ‘responsible’ with drills

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has condemned China’s military drills in the Taiwan Strait, saying Tuesday that China did not demonstrate the “responsible” behavior of a major Asian nation.China’s three-day, large-scale drills that ended Monday were retaliation for Tsai’s meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week on her tour of Taiwan’s official and unofficial allies. “As the president, I represent our country in the world, whether it’s a visit to allied countries or stopping through in the U.S. and interacting with our international friends, and not only has this been going on for years, it’s the Taiwanese people’s shared expectation,” Tsai said in a short statement. “But China used this as a pretext to start military drills, creating instability in the Taiwan Strait and region. This is not the attitude of a responsible major nation in this region.”China sees such meetings as encouraging people who formal in...