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China’s Xi calls for Ukraine peace talks to resume

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping called Thursday for peace talks over Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron appealed to him to “bring Russia to its senses,” but Xi gave no indication Beijing would use its leverage as Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic partner to press for a settlement.Xi gave no sign China, which declared it had a “no limits friendship” with Moscow before last year’s attack, had changed its stance since calling for peace talks in February. But he added his personal authority by repeating the appeal at a joint event with Macron in front of reporters.“Peace talks should resume as soon as possible,” Xi said.Beijing, which sees Moscow as a partner in opposing U.S. domination of global affairs, has tried to appear neutral in the conflict but has given Putin diplomatic support and repeated Russian justifications for the February 2022 attack. Xi received an effusive welcome from Putin when he visited Moscow last month, giving the isolated Russian president a poli...

John Kerry’s Gmail account ‘discouraged’ but still defended by State Department, sort of

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

The U.S. State Department argues Climate czar John Kerry can use a personal Gmail account for government business — despite the risky practice being “discouraged” in the very manual they cite.The “Foreign Affairs Manual” referenced, particularly section 5 FAM 434, does not support outside messages.“All Department personnel with an official State Department email account are discouraged from using a personal email account(s),” including Gmail, the manual reads. That section goes on to add Gmail can be used in “very limited circumstances.”It also clearly states “convenience is not an appropriate reason” to use outside email.The State Department’s push-back on Kerry’s behalf comes after the Herald reported Sunday that the former Massachusetts senator and onetime Democratic presidential candidate was cc’d a Climate memo to a Gmail account.It’s all part of an ongoing struggle by the Herald and watch...

New exhibit explores significance of Mexica’s lunar goddess

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A new exhibit hosted by Museum of Templo Mayor in Mexico City marks the 45th anniversary of the discovery of a monolith depicting Coyolxauhqui, the Mexica lunar goddess. The finding was a milestone for Mexican archaeology, as it shed light on Mexica civilization before the Spanish conquest.“Coyolxauhqui: The star, the goddess, the discovery” displays more than 150 archaeological objects focused on the mythology, symbolism and scientific research around this deity (whose name is pronounced Koy-ol-shauw-kee). The exhibit runs through June 4.For almost 500 years, the exact location of Templo Mayor remained a mystery. The religious complex was demolished shortly after Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés ordered the destruction of every building in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Mexica empire, around 1521. Patricia Ledesma, archaeologist and director of Museum of Templo Mayor, said that her predecessors undertook the task of rescuing the traces of the Mexica civilization aft...

Honda recalls CR-Vs in cold states to fix frame rust problem

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling nearly 564,000 older small SUVs because road salt can cause the frame to rust and rear suspension parts to come loose.The recall covers certain CR-Vs from 2007 through 2011 that were sold or registered in states where salt is used to clear roads in the winter.U.S. safety regulators say in documents posted Thursday that salt can accumulate and cause corrosion, and the rear trailing arm can detach. That can cause drivers to lose control, increasing the risk of a crash. Rear trailing arms connect the rear axle to the chassis.The recalled CR-Vs were either sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.Dealers will inspect the SUVs and install a support brace or repair the rear frame if needed. If the frame is badly damaged, H...

Ukrainian groups learn about DNA use to identify war victims

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Representatives of Ukrainian civil society and rights groups have visited an organization that uses high-tech DNA techniques to identify people who go missing in conflicts and natural disasters, a move intended to boost cooperation during the ongoing war in Ukraine. The head of the International Commission on Missing Persons, a Hague-based group that operates a human identification facility, said Thursday that her organization faces unprecedented challenges as it seeks to collect DNA samples and evidence amid the fighting.“I cannot think of another model whereby we’re working now actively to assist in investigations of missing persons cases while there’s an ongoing conflict,” ICMP Director-General Kathryne Bomberger told The Associated Press. “So this does present a challenge.”The people missing or unidentified following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago range from soldiers killed in battle to civilians killed in attacks by Russian...

Wall Street subdued ahead of jobs data, Good Friday holiday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

TOKYO — Wall Street was subdued early on the last day of trading this week as investors awaited Thursday’s weekly unemployment figures with the more significant government jobs report coming when markets are closed on the Good Friday holiday.Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up less than 0.1%, as were futures for the S&P 500. Two jobs-related reports this week showed that the labor market may finally be cooling, more than a year after the Federal Reserve began its aggressive campaign to bring down inflation by raising interest rates.ADP’s private payroll report on Wednesday said private employers added 145,000 jobs in March, down sharply from February’s 261,000. Perhaps more importantly for markets, pay raises also weakened for workers, according to the ADP Research Institute.ADP’s private payroll report could offer a preview of what Friday’s more comprehensive jobs report from the U.S. government will show. Economists expect it to say employers added 240,0...

Roxham Road, bodies near the border and the future of Canada-U.S. migration

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

In today’s Big Story podcast, just days after Canada’s official unofficial border crossing at Roxham Road was shut down, eight bodies were recovered from the waters of the St. Lawrence River near the Canada-U.S. border. The bodies belong to migrants believed to be travelling from Canada to the United States, but without the Roxham crossing, advocates say we should expect to see more dangerous attempts to cross the border that could end in tragedy.On today’s The Big Story, Toronto Star’s immigration and refugee reporter Nicholas Keung walks us through the realities of the Roxham Road closure.“Having that sense of control of our borders, that’s preoccupying government officials,” he said, “and sometimes in that process we may forget about that global, universal humanity that we need more [of] in this world.”So why did the government close Roxham Road, and was it the right call? What comes next for the border, and those seeking to cross it? And how should Canada balance th...

Aimia’s largest shareholder to vote against re-election of board at annual meeting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

TORONTO — The largest shareholder of Aimia Inc. says it will vote against the re-election of the company’s board of directors at its annual meeting later this month.Mithaq Capital SPC says it is disappointed with recent events and has lost confidence in the board and management. The affiliate of Mithaq Holding Company, a family office based in Saudi Arabia, says it holds a 19.9 per cent stake in the company.Aimia is scheduled to hold its annual meeting on April 18.The company, which sold its flagship Aeroplan loyalty program to Air Canada in 2019, has reinvented itself as an investment holding company. Mithaq says its decision to vote against the re-election of the board includes concerns regarding capital allocation decisions related to acquisitions.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:AIM)The Canadian Press

Report: Croatian officials shared information on migrants

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — An independent investigative group on Thursday accused Croatian officials and police of using a clandestine WhatsApp group to share sensitive information about migrants trying to enter the country.It said it believed many of those discussed were later forcibly removed from the country, which is illegal under international treaties. Croatian police denied any wrongdoing.The Lighthouse Reports group, which spearheaded collaborative investigation among journalists at various European news organizations, said in a report published on Thursday that it received 60 leaked screenshots and managed to identify 33 participants in the encrypted group used between August 2019 and February 2020.“We found that among them were Croatian high-ranking officials,” the report, “Inside Croatia’s Secret WhatsApp Group,” said. “The WhatsApp group was used to exchange information about apprehensions of more than 1,300 people of mostly Afghan, Pakistani and Syrian nationality.”Th...

Man's body recovered from lake in Hobart

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:54 GMT

HOBART, Ind. — The body of a man was recovered from a lake in Hobart, Indiana.Police responded around 2 p.m. Wednesday to Robinson Lake in reference to a possible body floating in the lake.Officers arrived to the scene and were assisted by the Hobart Fire Department Dive Team, who recovered the deceased man from the lake. Man critical after being shot in the face on North Side The man's identity has not yet been released. Police said as of now, there were no apparent signs of foul play.A death investigation is underway.