World

  • BusinessThe Canadian Press

    Bitcoin's latest 'halving' has arrived. Here's what you need to know

    NEW YORK (AP) — The “miners” who chisel bitcoins out of complex mathematics are taking a 50% pay cut — effectively reducing new production of the world’s largest cryptocurrency, again. Bitcoin's latest “halving" appeared to occur Friday night. Soon after the highly anticipated event, the price of bitcoin held steady at about $63,907. Now, all eyes are on what will happen down the road. Beyond bitcoin’s long-term price behavior, which relies heavily on other market conditions, experts point to po

    6 min read
  • NewsThe Canadian Press

    Live video of man who set himself on fire outside court proves challenging for news organizations

    NEW YORK (AP) — Video cameras stationed outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial caught the gruesome scene Friday of a man who lit himself on fire and the aftermath as authorities tried to rescue him. CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC were all on the air with reporters talking about the seating of a jury when the incident happened and other news agencies, including The Associated Press, were livestreaming from outside the courthouse. The man, who distributed

    2 min read
  • NewsThe Canadian Press

    4/20 grew from humble roots to marijuana's high holiday

    SEATTLE (AP) — Saturday marks marijuana culture’s high holiday, 4/20, when college students gather — at 4:20 p.m. — in clouds of smoke on campus quads and pot shops in legal-weed states thank their customers with discounts. This year’s edition provides an occasion for activists to reflect on how far their movement has come, with recreational pot now allowed in nearly half the states and the nation’s capital. Many states have instituted “social equity” measures to help communities of color, harme

    6 min read
  • NewsThe Canadian Press

    Israel, Iran play down apparent Israeli strike. The muted responses could calm tensions -- for now

    JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Iran on Friday both played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, signaling the two bitter enemies are ready to prevent their latest eruption of violence from escalating into a full-blown regional war. But the indecisive outcome of weeks of tensions — which included an alleged Israeli strike that killed two Iranian generals, an unprecedented Iranian missile barrage on Israel and the apparent Israeli strike early Frid

    6 min read
  • NewsThe Canadian Press

    Kansas has a new anti-DEI law, but the governor has vetoed bills on abortion and even police dogs

    TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Friday vetoed proposed tax breaks for anti-abortion counseling centers while allowing restrictions on college diversity initiatives approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature to become law without her signature. Gov. Laura Kelly also vetoed a bill with bipartisan support to increase the penalties for killing a law enforcement dog or horse, a move that the GOP leader who pushed it called “political pettiness.” In addition, she rejected two

    5 min read
  • BusinessThe Canadian Press

    Tennessee Volkswagen workers vote on union membership in test of UAW's plan to expand its ranks

    CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The United Auto Workers’ ambitious drive to expand its reach to nonunion factories across the South and elsewhere is facing a key test Friday night as workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, finish voting on whether to join the union. The UAW’s ranks in the auto industry have dwindled over the years as foreign-based companies with nonunion U.S. plants have sold increasingly more vehicles. Twice in recent years, workers at the Chattanooga plant have reje

    5 min read
  • NewsThe Canadian Press

    Idaho group says it is exploring a ballot initiative for abortion rights and reproductive care

    BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A new Idaho organization says it will ask voters to restore abortion access and other reproductive health care rights in the state after lawmakers let a second legislative session end without modifying strict abortion bans that have been blamed for a recent exodus of health care providers. “We have not been able to get a fix from our lawmakers, our politicians. We are going to seek a fix from our people,” Melanie Folwell, a spokeswoman for Idahoans United for Women and Famili

    3 min read