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Why Prince Harry is fighting the UK government in court

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

LONDON — It’s not every day a member of the British royal family takes the government to court. But not every member is like Prince Harry.The Duke of Sussex — a polarizing figure in the U.K. who fell out spectacularly with fellow royals and relocated to the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020 — is continuing his beef with the U.K.’s interior ministry and the shadowy committee that decides on royal security.POLITICO has your back with a bluffer’s guide to the action at the Royal Courts of Justice.Why is Harry royally unhappy?It’s all about who keeps King Charles’ youngest son safe — and who foots the bill.Government department the Home Office stripped Harry of his ongoing taxpayer-funded security detail after he resigned from his royal duties and moved to the U.S. in January 2020. The decision was made by a little-known, extravagantly titled, and powerful Home Office group called the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty ...

A home near Washington, DC, exploded as police responded to reports of more than 30 flare-gun shots fired

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

(CNN) — A home exploded in Arlington, Virginia, Monday night as police were trying to execute a search warrant, sending the building up in flames with a suspect still inside and prompting the evacuation of several nearby houses, officials said.Police are investigating the circumstances of the explosion, which tore through the home as law enforcement were trying to make contact with the suspect inside. Authorities believe the man had been firing a flare gun from his home earlier in the day, Arlington County Police Department spokesperson Ashley Savage said.Officers had responded to reports of shots fired near the home in the 800 block of N. Burlington Street shortly before 5 p.m., according to a police statement released early Tuesday.Police then learned the suspect had discharged the flare gun about 30 to 40 times from his home into the surrounding neighborhood, the police statement said.“During the course of the investigation, officers obtained a search war...

The past decade was the hottest on record as climate change ‘surged alarmingly,’ WMO reports

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

(CNN) — The decade between 2011 and 2020 was the hottest on record for the planet’s land and oceans as the rate of climate change “surged alarmingly,” according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization.The report, released Tuesday at the COP28 conference in Dubai, found rising concentrations of planet-heating pollution in the atmosphere fueled record land and ocean temperatures and “turbo charged” dramatic glacier loss and sea-level rise during this period.This year is also expected to be the hottest year, after six straight months of record global temperatures.Scientists have said this year’s exceptional warmth is the result of the combined effects of El Niño and human-caused climate change, which is driven by planet-warming fossil fuel pollution. A separate analysis released Monday by the Global Carbon Project found that carbon pollution from fossil fuels is on track to set a new record in 2023 – 1.1% higher than 2022 levels.WMO...

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson may miss rest of season with high ankle sprain

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson will miss at least a few weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain Sunday versus the Chargers, according to ESPN.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Chargers film review: Bill Belichick’s worst roster flaw is killing the offense New England Patriots | Patriots-Steelers projected injury report: Rhamondre Stevenson, two receivers out Monday New England Patriots | Bill Belichick reacts surprisingly positively to Bailey Zappe’s performance after Patriots shutout loss New England Patriots | Bill Belichick leaves door open for Matthew Judon’s return to Patriots practice New England Patriots | Patriots defender sounds off on offense, losing streak: ‘It’s f—ing frustrating’ The Pats’ leading rusher twisted his ankle on a first-quarter tackle Sunday that caused him to fumble. After the play, he could not put any weight...

Uber taking Toronto to court, alleging move to cap rideshare vehicles is ‘illegal’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

Uber Canada is taking the City of Toronto to court in an effort to reverse the city’s decision to limit the number of rideshare vehicles on its streets.The company filed an injunction with the Ontario Supreme Court on Monday alleging the move to put a cap on rideshare licences is illegal, and would irreparably harm its business.“Mayor (Olivia) Chow’s arbitrary rideshare cap is illegal,” reads a statement from the company. “Mayor Chow is making life harder and less affordable for Torontonians by increasing wait times and costs and limiting an economic opportunity.”City Council voted 16 to 7 in favour of the cap during its October meeting. No new licences to private transportation companies, including Uber and Lyft, will be issued until a staff report on regulating the industry is completed by the end of 2024. Related: ‘Making life harder’: Uber trips soar following Scarborough RT closure Chow has argued that the rideshare licence cap wil...

In ‘Wonka,’ Timothée Chalamet finds a world of pure imagination

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

Hugh Grant learned some years ago that if a filmmaker doesn’t make something from the heart, it shows. The films that work best, and are most loved, he’s found, are the ones that the directors really meant.It applied to his romantic comedies with Richard Curtis as well as “Paddington 2.” And he’s pretty sure it’s true of “ Wonka.” The lavish big screen musical about a young Willy Wonka — before Charlie, before the chocolate factory — is dancing into theaters this month with its heart on its velvet sleeve.Like the “Paddington” movies, “Wonka” was dreamt up by Paul King, a lifetime Roald Dahl fan and a writer and director whom his collaborators somewhat universally agree may actually be Paddington in a human costume. With a beloved troupe of actors, including Grant, Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Keegan-Michael Key, Natasha Rothwell and Paterson Joseph as well as newcomer Calah Lane, its vibrant costumes and sets and a contagious “let’s pu...

Bank of Canada expected to hold key rate steady: economists

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

It’s been a rough couple of years for people with variable-rate mortgages, and many are watching to see what the Bank of Canada does with its key rate on Wednesday.The feeling from most economists is that the Bank of Canada will maintain its five per cent rate.“It’s far from mission accomplished,” BMO Capital Markets Senior Economist Sal Guatieri said while speaking on CityNews’ Now You Know with Rob Snow on Monday. “We’re not close to the two per cent [inflation] target yet, and it will take time before the Bank of Canada has that confidence or assurance that inflation will go all the way back to two per cent on a sustained basis.”But Clinton Wilkins with Centum Home Lenders in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is hoping rates start to drop in the coming months.“There certainly is some downward pressure now,” Wilkins said on Monday. “And I think maybe even by the springtime, we might see some signs of softening. Obviously, som...

Trial to determine whether JetBlue can buy Spirit, further consolidating industry, comes to a head

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Lawyers for the Justice Department and JetBlue Airways are scheduled to make closing arguments Tuesday in a trial that will determine whether JetBlue can buy Spirit Airlines, the nation’s biggest low-fare carrier.The Justice Department argues that the proposed $3.8 billion merger would hurt consumers by eliminating Spirit and its cheaper base fares, leaving fewer options for travelers on a budget. The government sued to block the deal in March.JetBlue says it needs to buy Spirit to grow and compete better against bigger airlines.There is no jury in the trial, which has stretched over several weeks and included testimony by the CEOs of both airlines. No ruling is expected Tuesday from U.S. District Judge William Young.The trial represents another test for the Biden administration’s fight against consolidation in the airline industry. Earlier this year, the Justice Department won an antitrust lawsuit and broke up a partnership in New York and Boston between JetBlue and A...

Column: Major champions talk signature shots. And one that stands out to them

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

Tiger Woods is not done for the year. Still to come is what he referred to as the “fifth major,” which is 36 holes at the PNC Championship with his son.Those other majors have long been in the books and still have lasting memories of shots that will be part of major championship lore. Most of them are on Sunday, when the trophy is presented. Some of them are earlier, and often forgotten.In a series of interviews, the four major champions discuss the shot most fans will remember, and a particular shot that stands out to them.MASTERS“In other years, that ball would not have made it to the trees,” Jon Rahm said.But his tee shot on the 14th hole at the Masters ran just into the rough and his approach was blocked by a pine tree. What’s more, he faced a downhill lie with the ball slightly below his feet. He had to get creative, and the Spaniard did just that. From 137 yards, he opened his stance, opened the face on his 8-iron and aimed left.“I had to slice it a good 10, 15 yards to ...

Streisand talks acting, music and destiny after release of her memoir ‘My Name is Barbra’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:30:11 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Before she’s ready to talk about her memoir, Barbra Streisand needs to pull herself away from current events. “I’m watching (expelled Rep.) George Santos, and worrying about the world and democracy,” she says at the start of a telephone interview, when asked how’s she doing. “I have to say,” she adds a moment later, “I guess I’m OK.” There are reasons “My Name is Barbra” took as long to wrap up as even her most challenging film projects. For decades, she rarely had the kind of solitary time needed to settle down and write. And even with her film and concert career essentially over — “I don’t enjoy performing anymore,” she says — the longtime liberal and political activist remains absorbed in the news no matter how distressing, from next year’s U.S. presidential election to the war in the Middle East. For Streisand, long one of the most private of superstars, opening up about herself is an ongoing challenge. But, as she explai...