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Oil companies attending climate talks have minimal green energy transition plans, AP analysis finds

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

In 2022, Brazilian oil and gas company Petrobras had 68 places staked out for oil exploration off the South American coast, searching for new reserves while spending $6.9 billion in oil development projects. About the same time, Algeria-based Sonatrach proclaimed its ambition to ramp up production to become a top five national oil company by 2030. And Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. opened 68 new gas stations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, noting in its 2022 annual report that there were now more than 500 across the UAE.All these companies, along with 33 others focused on oil and gas, sent delegations to Egypt for last year’s annual climate summit, known as COP27, aimed at moving the world away from the burning of fossil fuels like oil and gas. Many will likely be at the upcoming conference, COP28, being hosted in the UAE, which appointed Sultan al-Jaber, chairman of the nation’s oil company, as president of the summit.Faced with criticism about their presence at neg...

World figure skating champion Shoma Uno takes control in Cup of China

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

CHONGQING, China (AP) — Two-time world champion Shoma Uno of Japan showed no signs of rust on his return to competitive figure skating on Friday, dominating the men’s short program at the Cup of China.In his first Grand Prix of Figure Skating event this year, Uno landed a quad flip, a quadruple toe-loop, triple toe-loop combination and a triple axel for a total of 105.25 points, 14 points ahead of Adam Siao Him Fa of France.“I did a good job with the jumps today and the whole package. The speed was not as good,” said Uno, who skated to “I Love You Kung Fu” and “Clair de Lune.”Uno, who is coached by former skater Stephane Lambiel, has not performed in an official event since capturing his second world title in March in Japan. He is debuting two new programs here.“As for the presentation, I don’t think I did such a good job,” Uno said. “At this competition, I don’t think about the result or the points, I just want to show my program.”Siao Him Fa, last week’s winner at his home Grand P...

DC’s Brine Oyster closing both DC restaurants citing crime, economy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

Brine on H Street is closing this weekend. (Courtesy Google Street View)Brine Oyster and Seafood House is abruptly closing this weekend. It includes the original H Street, Northeast restaurant which opened more than three years ago, and the new Dupont Circle location for Brine, which opened less than a year ago.Co-owners Aaron McGovern and Arturas Vorobjovas blamed crime and the economy for the decision to close.“Unfortunately, the challenges of the restaurant industry since the pandemic, the current economic climate, and the spike in violent crime have made it increasingly difficult to operate and impossible for us to survive,” the two said in a joint statement.The Dupont Circle location, at 1800 Connecticut Avenue in the ground floor of the former Russia House, opened in February of this year.Citing crime in part for closing is a “one-two punch” for McGovern and Vorobjovas, who owns the building that was home to Russia House since 1991.Russia House was targ...

Sports on TV for November 13 – 19

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

Adv11(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsMonday, November 13COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)6:30 p.m.FS1 — Michigan at St. John’s8:30 p.m.FS1 — Xavier at PurdueGOLF2:30 p.m.GOLF — The Southwest Airlines Showcase At Cedar Crest: First Round, Cedar Crest Golf Course, Marysville, Wash.NFL FOOTBALL8:15 p.m.ABC — Denver at BuffaloESPN — Denver at BuffaloESPN2 — Denver at Buffalo (ManningCast)SOCCER (MEN’S)3:45 a.m. (Tuesday)FS1 — FIFA U-17 World Cup Group Stage: Brazil vs. New Caledonia, Group C, Jakarta, Indonesia_____Tuesday, November 14COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)6 p.m.FS1 — Wisconsin at Providence7 p.m.ESPN — Champions Classic: Duke vs. Michigan St., Chicago8 p.m.FS1 — Marquette at Illinois9:30 p.m.ESPN — Champions Classic: Kansas vs. Kentucky, Chicago10 p.m.FS1 — Iowa at CreightonCOLLEGE FOOTBALL7 p.m.ESPN2 — TBAESPNU — TBAGOLF2:30 p.m.GOLF — The Southwest Airlines Showcase At Cedar Crest: Second Round, Cedar Crest Golf Course, Marysville, Wash.NBA BASKETBALL7:30 p...

France’s Macron says melting glaciers are ‘an unprecedented challenge for humanity’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that melting glaciers are an “unprecedented challenge for humanity” and urged world leaders to work together on halting the devastating effects of climate change. Such a united effort is desperately needed, even though the war in Ukraine and the latest Israel-Hamas war are taking away much of the international focus and hamper global unity and cooperation, Macron said. The French leader spoke at the Paris Peace Forum, an annual event involving governments, nongovernmental groups and others seeking dialogue around global problems such as climate change, children’s exposure to online violence and threats to human rights. The world, Macron said, is witnessing “the collapse of the cryosphere under the impact of climate change,” referring to parts of the Earth where water is in solid form, including glaciers.“The most immediate and visible effect is the melting of the ice caps … it represents an unprecedented challenge fo...

Photos: Denver skyline to change in 2025

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Two buildings are under construction and will become some of the highest in Denver.However, that's not saying much. Currently, the tallest building in Denver is the Republic Plaza at 56 stories.While these won't be skyscrapers, the buildings will still be part of the Mile High skyline. 10 things to do in Colorado this weekend One structure will sit at 38 stories and the other will be 32 stories.Amacon's preliminary renderings (Courtesy of Amacon)Amacon's preliminary renderings (Courtesy of Amacon)Tallest buildings in DenverRepublic Plaza: 56 floors1801 California St.: 54 floorsWells Fargo Center: 50 floorsFour Seasons Hotel Denver: 45 floors1999 Broadway: 43 floors1144 Fifteenth: 42 floors707 17th St.: 42 floors555 17th St.: 40 floorsSpire Condos: 38 floorsHyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center: 37 floorsThe 38-floor building will be in the top 10 highest buildings in Denver, while the 32-story building will sit close by.These two buildings will be...

Federal government begins initial communications to agencies on possible shutdown

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

(CNN) — The White House Office of Management and Budget on Thursday began its initial communications to agencies on how to prepare for a possible government shutdown, a source familiar with the plans said, as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have yet to settle on a plan to avoid a shutdown by November 17.The communications are part of the standard procedure laying out the steps toward bringing non-essential government functions to a halt.“One week prior to the expiration of appropriations bills, regardless of whether the enactment of appropriations appears imminent, OMB will communicate with agency senior officials to remind agencies of their responsibilities to review and update orderly shutdown plans, and will share a draft communication template to notify employees of the status of appropriations,” a budget circular document from the Office of Management and Budget states.Every department and agency has its own set of plans and procedures. Those plans include information on how many emp...

Biden to press Xi on Iran in APEC meeting next week

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

President Joe Biden’s concerns about the Israel-Hamas war will spill over into his long-awaited face-to-face meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of APEC on Wednesday.When the two leaders meet at an undisclosed location in the San Francisco Bay area, Biden will urge Xi to use his influence with Tehran to prevent Iran and its proxies from exploiting the Israel-Hamas war to sow a wider regional conflict.Biden “will underscore our desire for China to make clear in its burgeoning relationship with Iran that it is essential that Iran not seek to escalate or spread violence in the Middle East,” a senior administration official told reporters on Thursday. Any “provocative actions” by Iran will spark a prompt U.S. response, the official said.Biden’s willingness to add Iran to an already packed meeting agenda with Xi underscores the administration’s concern that Iran’s Lebanon-based militant ally Hezbollah might respond to Hamas’s calls for the group to open a second ...

Poland’s opposition parties reach coalition agreement

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

Poland’s three largest opposition parties signed a coalition agreement Friday laying out the fundamentals of the next government after the incumbent Law and Justice (PiS) party lost its parliamentary majority in the election last month.The three parties in the coalition agreement are Civic Coalition, led by Donald Tusk; the Third Way, itself a grouping of the Poland 2050 party and the Polish People’s Party (PSL); and the Left. According to the text of the agreement, the coalition will prioritize security “in the face of an unprecedented threat caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine.” The coalition also will work to restore rule of law, address the climate crisis, and improve Poland’s track record on women’s rights, according to the agreement. The group also will focus on education, health care, and combating hate speech.The opposition parties have to wait before taking power, as Polish President Andrzej Duda, a PiS loyalist, has given outgoing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawi...

18-year-old killed, several teens injured in crash on I-495 in Lawrence

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:40 GMT

Authorities say an 18-year-old woman from North Andover was killed and several teenagers were injured Thursday night after a crash on I-495 North in Lawrence.According to Massachusetts State Police, the crash happened in the area north of Exit 100B, where a GMC Envoy driven by the 18-year-old was traveling.State police said it was around 9 p.m. when the Envoy appeared to veer into another lane at a high rate of speed and struck the side of a camper that was being pulled by a pickup truck.At that point, authorities said the Envoy’s driver then lost control and left the roadway, hitting a curb and guardrail before rolling over a steep slope.During the crash, police said the driver was ejected onto the road and struck by oncoming vehicles. A 17-year-old male passenger was also ejected and suffered minor head injuries.Meanwhile, two teenagers in the Envoy’s backseat, described as a 15-year-old female and 16-year-old female, suffered minor injuries. State police continued to ...