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US public debt is projected to reach 181% of American economic activity in 30 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Congressional Budget Office is giving the world a concerning look at the U.S. government’s ledgers: ever higher deficits, greater government spending and tax revenues that only begin to increase when existing tax cuts expire.The nonpartisan agency estimates in its latest 30-year outlook, released Wednesday, that publicly held debt will be equal to a record 181% of American economic activity by 2053. That compares with a projected 98% at the end of this budget year, a sign the government is getting more dependent on debt to pay for Social Security, Medicare, the military, infrastructure and an array of programs that benefit millions of households.The higher debt load is not all that shocking given the deficit spending of the past two decades. But the CBO figures do offer a bit of comfort in that annual deficits after 2042 are lower than forecasted in the agency’s report from last year. This is because the primary borrowing and interest rate costs are...

'Very unhealthy' air still blankets Chicago area; alert in effect through Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Wildfire smoke from Canada is lingering around the Chicago area longer than expected. An Air Quality Alert has been extended for the entire area through Thursday. It was originally supposed to end Wednesday at midnight.The extension was made by the National Weather Service just before 2 p.m.People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens should avoid strenuous outdoor activities, keep outdoor activities short. Others should choose less strenuous activities limit active time outdoors.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog As of 8 a.m. most of the area was still in the "very unhealthy" zone and numbers have not improved.⚠️8AM Wednesday: Air quality continues to be "very unhealthy" across Chicagoland though numbers are slowly coming down. By this afternoon, our numbers should move us down below 200 into the unhealthy category. #Chicago #smoke #WildfireSmoke 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/JgcsXeE1iM— Bill Snyder (@billyweather) Ju...

Delphi documents: Richard Allen told wife he killed girls; investigators believe knife used in murders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. – Documents unsealed Wednesday in the 2017 Delphi murders provide new insight into the case against Richard Allen.They also reveal for the first time publicly how investigators believe Abby Williams and Libby German were killed. Allen County Judge Frances Gull, assigned to oversee the high-profile case, unsealed nearly 120 documents Wednesday.You can find the documents here.The documents reveal, among other things, that Allen admitted to his wife during a phone call that he was responsible for killing the teens. Read the redacted Richard Allen court documents tying him to the Delphi murders The state’s response to a defense motion to suppress evidence revealed for the first time publicly that investigators believed a knife was used to kill the girls. The document also includes the search warrant and search warrant return.“Autopsies of the girls ruled their deaths as homicides and their wounds were caused by sharp object,” according to the documents.Investigators also ...

Bulls finalizing contract extension for Nikola Vucevic, reports say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the biggest questions for the Bulls this offseason appears to have been answered as the new league year gets set to begin. Per a few reports, the first from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the team is finalizing a contract extension for center Nikola Vucevic as he'll get a three-year, $60 million deal. While the Bulls were able to negotiate with him the day after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, the deal won't become official until July 6. Teams can begin to negotiate with free agents on other teams on June 30 at 5 p.m. central time ahead of the start of the new league year on July 1. Acquired by the Bulls at the trade deadline of the 2020-2021 season in a deal that included their 2021 & 2023 first round picks, Vucevic was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. It was expected that executive VP Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley would try to bring back the center, so Wednesday's news isn't a major surprise. Over parts of three...

South Dakota lawmaker calls Mount Rushmore demonic portal for communism 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A member of South Dakota’s House of Representatives went on a podcast and claimed that Mount Rushmore is a “freemason shrine” and a portal for demonic entities to enter and spread communism throughout the country. “What the Lord has revealed to me is that Mount Rushmore has a direct ley line to Washington, D.C.,” Joe Donnell, a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives, said in a May 31 episode of the "Now Is the Time" podcast. “In order to understand the spiritual realm of what we’re facing, we have to realize that in order for the enemy to do anything, it needs the agreement of human beings. In order to be empowered to do more damage he needs the agreement of human beings and oftentimes that comes in the form of an altar that acts as a portal for other demonic things. What we’re really dealing with in that portal is communism. That witchcraft, altar, those things that are happening in the Black Hills, what we’re dealing with is commu...

DoorDash updates to include a minimum hourly wage for drivers 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

(The Hill) -- DoorDash announced Wednesday that it will offer an hourly minimum wage for drivers among other new updates to the food delivery platform.DoorDash unveiled a series of new updates to its application and to its compensation policies Wednesday. The new compensation option will allow DoorDash delivery drivers to choose to be paid an hourly rate from when they accept an offer to when it is delivered, as well as guarantee 100 percent of the tips made on that order.“Our business has evolved beyond just facilitating single orders from single restaurants and today, Dashers have more choice than ever when it comes to how they want to earn – from in-store shopping to package pickup and more,” DoorDash said in its announcement. Food delivery fees add up. Who keeps the money from all those surcharges? DoorDash did not detail what the expected minimum hourly wage will be in its announcement. However, The New York Times reported that the wage will depend on the region and will be...

13 live parrots seized in duffel bags at US-Mexico border

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) - A driver was detained at the San Ysidro Port of Entry after attempting to smuggle 13 live yellow-headed parrots, authorities said.The seizure occurred June 16 when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers searched a 2010 sedan driven by a 26-year-old man applying for entry into the U.S. from Mexico, border officials said.During the inspection, CBP agriculture specialists found 13 yellow-headed parrots hidden in two duffel bags in the trunk of the vehicle, according to CBP. SeaWorld closes ‘Electric Eel’ rollercoaster after reported injury “CBP enforces hundreds of laws at the border for more than 40 different government agencies, in order to help stop smuggling attempts like these which can lead to trafficking of possibly endangered species,” said Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego. “Smugglers attempt to deceive CBP officers with no consideration for the health and safety of the animals; CBP aims to continuously enforce USDA ...

Student debt relief: Which way will the Supreme Court go?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

The Supreme Court is set to release its decision on President Biden’s relief of up to $20,000 in student loan debt, with advocates and borrowers widely concerned the justices will strike down the plan.The court holds a strong 6-3 conservative majority that seemed skeptical of the administration’s ability to forgive the debt during oral arguments in February. But as several recent decisions show, the court sometimes hands down a surprise ruling, offering a sliver of hope to those wanting the forgiveness despite the widespread skepticism. Court watchers are closely eyeing how the justices rule on whether any of the challengers have legal standing to bring their lawsuits, an issue that the high court’s liberal wing and conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett in particular probed during oral argument.The situation has been a whirlwind for borrowers and will, one way or the other, come to an end soon.Why are borrowers fearful of the decision?President Biden delivers remarks on s...

How UT Austin students are looking for a workaround to maintain DEI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer, some University of Texas at Austin student leaders are starting to look for ways to make sure their campus is inclusive when everyone gets back from break.This comes after a new law was passed that bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, staff and initiatives at public universities and colleges. Texas lawmakers find consensus on bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices in public universities "When DEI is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!" a group of UT students chanted outside of the capitol, just steps away from where lawmakers voted to ban college DEI initiatives.UT's Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), led a small protest on Tuesday, just getting started with its plans for a workaround to move forward with DEI work."There is a greater coalition of UT students for DEI that we do some work with," Jules Lattimore with SDS said.According to Lattimore, that coalition is made up of cultural groups."We reached ...

Rare footage of great white sharks takes center stage in new Nat Geo special

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:36 GMT

Hundreds of great white sharks hunting seals close to shore along Cape Cod, and how local researchers are hoping to predict shark behavior, is the focus of a new National Geographic special for Sharkfest next week.The documentary Return of the White Shark includes “really rare footage” of three great whites feasting on a seal, and an apex predator attacking a seal in the surf zone.The Cape shark researchers in the show also revealed how many sharks have visited the region in a recent 5-year period, which is much higher than expected.“There was never a population estimate for white sharks in the Northwest Atlantic,” Atlantic White Shark Conservancy staff scientist Megan Winton said during the special. “It’s one of the most mysterious populations of white sharks on the planet.”The team of researchers, which includes Winton and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries marine biologist Greg Skomal, now estimate that 800 to 900 individual sharks have visited the Cape’s waters in the re...