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Here's what could happen to the military if the US defaults on its debt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

(The Hill) - As the United States stares down the barrel of a deadline to raise the national debt ceiling, past and current Pentagon leaders are sounding the alarm on how such an event could be deeply damaging to the country and those who keep it safe.  Disrupted pay for service members, late benefits checks for veterans and a hit to U.S. national security are only a glimpse into what could come.  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made that much clear this week, telling lawmakers that the Pentagon “won't, in some cases, be able to pay our troops with any degree of predictability,” should a default come to pass. And Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley said such an event could also “embolden China and increase risk to the United States.”  The debt limit, is the dollar figure up to which the Treasury Department can borrow to pay for congressionally approved spending decided through the annual appropriations process. The Biden administr...

Man killed in deadly shooting, APD says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

Editor's note: An earlier version of the article reported information from Austin Police that the woman had been shot in the shoulder. It has since been updated. AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police said a man died in southeast Austin early Monday morning in the city's 29th homicide of 2023. According to police, officers went to Springfield Drive near William Cannon Drive and McKinney Falls Parkway just after 2:50 a.m. Police said a woman called from the area saying she believed her friend was dead. Police said other callers reported hearing gunshots. According to police, the man was pronounced dead at the scene and woman was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Police said the exact nature of her injuries was not known. Police said no one was in custody.

Scattered rain, flash flood risk continues Monday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Scattered rain and storms are likely to return late day, continuing the need to watch for flash flooding in parts of our area.Weekend rain totals: widespread 1"-3" with isolated spots of 3"-4"A few isolated storms are possible this morning, but a better chance for scattered rain and thunderstorms is likely to come late this afternoon into the evening. Not everyone will see rain, but those who do will want to watch for heavy downpours causing brief, localized flooding.Monday flood risk: 2 out of 4Rainfall amounts will range from very little to 1-2" in isolated spots today. This is somewhat more concerning than what we had over the weekend given more drivers on the road during the time of heaviest potential rain. Remember, "turn around, don't drown" if you encounter a flooded road. ‘Potentially significant’ El Niño to begin by summer Another round of scattered showers and storms is possible Tuesday afternoon, with a 1 out of 4 flash flooding risk in place.Tuesday fl...

Washington County receives $1.2M to help prevent, or shorten, homelessness

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

Washington County will receive an additional $1.165 million in one-time funding to help people who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.The Washington County Board voted last week to accept the funds from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program.The money, expected to be available June 1, will primarily be used for direct assistance to prevent homelessness, including payments for past-due rent of up to three months, first months’ rent and damage deposit, utility assistance and some moving costs, said Sarah Tripple, a division manager in the county’s community services department.“Even though it says ‘family,’ it’s available to all household types, including youth and adults without children,” Tripple said.Washington County has applied for and received funding from the program since 2007. The county contracts with two agencies – Solid Ground and Community Action Plan of Ramsey and Washington – to use the funds to s...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Was I Wrong to Adjust The Thermostat in My In-Laws Home?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Becky and it's about staying at your in-laws. Here's the email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Good morning Jaime, I really need to get your opinion on something. This past weekend my husband and I were visiting his parents in their new house. The house is really nice but his parents are the kind of people that always run hot so the thermostat is set to like 60 degrees in the house. During the day it wasn’t to bad but at night it was freezing and I couldn’t get warm. I asked my husband to turn up the thermostat but he never did so one night I got up and put it up to 68 degrees. I slept much better after it finally kicked in. The next afternoon his dad realized it was up to 68 and he was mad. He put it back down and told me to wear a warmer sweater or sweatshirt. I apologized but to be honest I don’t really care because I was freezing. My husband was also ma...

Smokey early morning porch fire doused in Ulster County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

ULSTER, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Crews worked to put out a porch fire at 600 East Chester Street early Saturday morning. According to volunteer firefighters, it is believed the fire started on the porch possibly due to discarded cigarettes. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Firefighters arrived on the scene around 4:12 a.m. to find heavy fire and heavy smoke showing. A second alarm was sounded and once two handlines were deployed, a bulk of the fire was down in minutes. Image via Ulster Hose Co. #5Firefighters say additional unit searches were complete and pockets of fire were extinguished in opened walls and ceilings. Extensive overhaul was completed and all units returned at 5:55 a.m. Firefighters did not mention any injuries.

Ask Amy: My ex-boyfriend broke up with me years ago. Now he won’t leave me alone.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

Dear Amy: I dated a former boyfriend over three years ago. We met through a dating app.I was in the process of moving to the same area where he lived (but not because of him). He broke up with me, and I was OK with that.Afterward, he contacted me a few more times.A few months after we broke up, I agreed to meet with him, thinking that it would finally end his contact.I stated I was not interested in pursuing any relationship.I blocked him on my phone after the meet-up, and thought it was done.Since then, he has emailed me several times, once while I was dating my (now) husband. I ignored the email.He then “friend requested” me on my social media and professional profiles. All rejected.He emailed me again. I replied, stating that I wished no more contact, as I was now married. My email was short and to the point, but not mean.He friend-requested me again on social media and even went as far as to email me on my work email shortly after.I blocked him from everything again.Related Arti...

Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs along front lines

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

The Russian defence ministry denied on Thursday (11 May) reports that Ukrainian troops had broken through at various points along the front line and claimed the situation was under full control.Moscow responded after Russian military blogs, posting on Telegram, claimed that Ukrainian forces were making advances to the north and south east of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine. Some suggested a long-awaited offensive by pro-Kyiv troops had begun.Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the offensive has not yet begun.The Russian Defence Ministry said that the statements made by Telegram channels in relation to 'defence advances' in various areas along the line-of-contact did not match reality.In a press release, it used the Kremlin’s description of war in Ukraine to say that the "overall situation" in the area is under control.The fact that the Russian Ministry felt compelled to issue the statement is indicative of what Moscow admits as a "very challenging" military operati...

Healthcare workers at 5 California hospitals vote to authorize strike beginning May 22

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

Thousands of healthcare workers at five HCA facilities in California have voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike, claiming management is threatening and intimidating employees who complain of short-staffing and low wages.With 97% voting in favor, an estimated 3,000 emergency room technicians, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, lab techs, dieticians, pharmacy techs and cooks are set to launch a five-day strike beginning May 22 at the following locations:HCA Good Samaritan Hospital in San JoseHCA Regional Medical Center in San JoseHCA Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand OaksHCA West Hills HospitalHCA Riverside Community HospitalWorkers allege management has violated labor law by stopping them from meeting and talking in hospital public areas, throwing union staff out of hospitals and telling caregivers they can’t wear union logos. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) The workers, whose labor contract expired March 31, are represented by SEIU-...

3 Chicago gang members arrested in California triple slaying

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:38 GMT

Three men associated with a gang have been arrested in connection with two deadly Los Angeles shootings in a case in which all suspects and victims were from the Chicago area, police said Friday, May 12.Investigators, however, would not specify the motive for the shootings that killed three women and wounded four other people in January and a man in December.“We can’t discuss the motive but we can say that it’s associated with Chicago,” Capt. Jonathan L. Tippet, commanding officer of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, told a headquarters press conference.“One thing that can be said is that the violence that occurs in Chicago today is having an effect on all of us,” he said.A police officer pulls a line of crime scene tape as a coroner’s van arrives at the scene of a shooting that left three people dead and four others injured in Beverly Crest early Saturday morning, on Jan. 28, 2023. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)Detectives...