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Tax cuts sail through House, would change capital gains and death tax

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

Much to the chagrin of progressives, the House passed their version of a tax cut package just a day after revealing they would spend $56.2 billion in the next fiscal year.“We’ve all heard from our constituents and our business about the cost and struggles they are dealing with and the new reality of life and work since the pandemic,” state Rep. Mark Cusack, the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Revenue, told the House before the vote.Called An Act to improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness, affordability, and equity, the state House passed H.3770 by a vote of 150-3 on Thursday, with five state representatives not voting.State Rep. Mike Connolly, a progressive representing most of Cambridge, was one of the lawmakers who tried to stop or change the bill, but with his resistance joined only by Democratic Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven of Somerville and Acton’s Rep. Dan Sena, he withdrew his offered amendment before declaring he could not support cutting taxes for the state’s wealthie...

Missouri to restrict transgender care for minors, adults

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

COLUMBIA. Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s attorney general announced new restrictions Thursday on transgender care for adults in addition to minors in a move that is believed to be a first nationally and has advocacy groups threatening to sue. Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced plans to restrict transgender health care weeks ago, when protesters rallied at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass a law banning puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for children. But the discussion was focused on minors, not adults. Missouri Attorney General spokeswoman Madeline Sieren clarified in a statement later in the day that adults also would be covered. “We have serious concerns about how children are being treated throughout the state, but we believe everyone is entitled to evidence-based medicine and adequate mental health care,” Sieren said. The rule, which incudes a required 18 months of therapy before receiving gender-affirming health care, is set to take effect April 27 and expire next...

Peruvian politician convicted in 1988 murder of reporter

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A Peruvian judge convicted retired army general and conservative politician Daniel Urresti and sentenced him to 12 years in prison Thursday for his role in the 1988 murder of a journalist who covered abuses during Peru’s civil war.Hailed by advocates as an overdue but key verdict in upholding accountability and press freedom in Peru, the sentence represented a remarkable turnaround for Urresti, who has been an interior minister, congressman and presidential candidate as well as a frequent political commentator.Urresti was a military intelligence officer in November 1988 when journalist Hugo Bustíos was machine-gunned and blown up with dynamite in a slaying initially blamed on the communist militant group Shining Path. A fellow journalist with Bustíos survived the attack. Members of the military later were convicted of carrying out the ambush during a plainclothes patrol in Huanta province to prevent the journalist from covering news of military abuses against civil...

Health minister says stiffer rules could prevent over-prescribing to U.S. patients

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

RICHMOND, B.C. — The federal health minister says regulations governing medical practice may have to be strengthened in each province to prevent “incompetence” by doctors who could write thousands of prescriptions for drugs that go to patients outside of Canada.Jean-Yves Duclos said that at the very least, regulatory colleges may have to better enforce current regulations so medications such as the diabetes drug Ozempic — also used off-label to lose weight — are available to Canadians who need them.Concern over potential drug shortages arose after a Texas-based doctor licensed in Nova Scotia wrote 17,000 prescriptions for Ozempic over three months, but for people living in the United States.Regulatory colleges and provinces should guard against a similar issue arising if access to other medications such as the abortion drug mifepristone is restricted in some parts of the United States, Duclos said.“I will be raising this issue with my counterparts, health ministers...

Trudeau Foundation donor heads group under Chinese Communist Party ‘total leadership’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

A businessman whose reported donations to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation led to the resignation of its CEO is the president of a Chinese cultural organization that says it operates under the authority of the communist government.The website of the China Cultural Industry Association says it adheres to the “total leadership” of the Chinese Communist Party and was formed with the approval of China’s State Council, which is synonymous with the central government.The association says on its Chinese-language site that its president is Zhang Bin, a Chinese billionaire that the Globe and Mail reported had donated $200,000 to the foundation in 2016, along with another Chinese businessman.But the Globe reported that a receipt named a company called Millennium Golden Eagle International (Canada) as the donor.The China Cultural Industry Association says Millennium Golden Eagle International is one of its executive board members and was created with the approval of Chin...

Iowa man pleads guilty in Arizona election threats case

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — An Iowa man pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening two Arizona officials in messages that mentioned discredited allegations of fraud in the 2020 election.Federal prosecutors said 64-year-old Mark Rissi of Hiawatha left voicemail messages targeting Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman and Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, both Republicans. Rissi pleaded guilty to two counts of making a threatening interstate communication. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in June. Prosecutors said Rissi’s message for Hickman was left Sept. 27, 2021, three days after a technology firm called Cyber Ninjas released a report alleging a wide range of election improprieties in Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix area. Experts said the report, which was commissioned by Republican leaders of the state Senate, was riddled with errors, bias and flawed methodology. More than two months later, as Brnovich was under pressure from election deniers to charge people with el...

Violence on transit has increased post-pandemic, police and union officials say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

Violence on public transit and in city spaces across Canada has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld said in relation to a spate of assaults in his city as well as Edmonton, Metro Vancouver and Toronto.Neufeld said he’s talked to his counterparts in other cities and it’s hard to know what’s driving the violence, but calls related to mental health have been on the rise.“There has been a post-pandemic impact that I don’t know that we fully understand,” he told a news conference on Thursday.“But it’s manifesting itself in public spaces across the country and I think we’ve gone as far down this dark road as we are prepared to go.”Neufeld said everyone hoped things would return to normal post-pandemic, and governments have been making investments in mental health supports.“I just don’t think it’s taken effect just yet. I think there’s a lot of promise with respect to a ...

What is Discord, the chatting app tied to classified leaks?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The chatting app Discord, which is one of the most popular ways gamers communicate online, finds itself at the center of an investigation into the leak of classified documents about the war in Ukraine.The investigation is unfolding as Discord makes an ambitious push to recruit more users and expand the way they use the versatile app.Discord said it is cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation of the leak, which is believed to have started on the site. A Massachusetts Air National Guard member reportedly posted on Discord for years about guns, games, favorite memes and, according to some who chatted with him, closely guarded U.S. secrets.WHAT IS DISCORD?Discord started in 2015 as a nerdy online hangout for gamers and had some hiccups in its quest for mainstream success. Its growth accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as a forum for its mostly younger users to gossip or even help each other with homework.“Every month, more than 150 million peopl...

Experts doubt Mexico’s pledge to protect endangered porpoise

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Environment Department announced a new program to protect the endangered vaquita marina porpoise Thursday, saying that has headed off trade sanctions by the international wildlife body CITES.The department said seven steps will be taken, including controlling illegal gillnet fishing that can trap and kill the vaquita, which is the world’s most endangered maine mammal. But experts had misgivings, saying Mexico has failed to live up to previous promises to protect the vaquita and even gone back on some. There are estimated to be as few as eight vaquitas left in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place it lives. The species cannot be captured, held or bred in captivity.In late March, CITES called on its 184 member countries to stop trade with Mexico for products linked to sensitive species, such as orchids, cactuses and skins from crocodiles and snakes, as punishment for continued fishing in the vaquita protection z...

15-year-old girl missing since February last seen in Garfield Ridge

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:20 GMT

CHICAGO — The whereabouts of a 15-year-old girl reported missing in February remain unknown. Leyla Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of S. Cicero on Feb. 20. SEE ALSO | 12-year-old girl reported missing in HermosaChicago police described the missing teen as 4-foot-11-inches, weighing 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Leyla Brown also has a tattoo of a cross on her right shoulder. She was last seen wearing a black sweater, black pants and black gym shoes. Anyone with information can call the police at (312) 747-8380.