Ingested Articles

Swap the crop? New York hemp farmers eager to grow marijuana

Farmers dealing with depressed prices for plants that produce CBD are eager to take part in a statewide marijuana market expected to generate billions of dollars a year once retail sales start. They already know how to grow and process cannabis plants, since hemp is essentially the same plant with lower levels of THC, marijuana’s active ingredient. Now they’re waiting on rules for getting into the new market. There are about 700 hemp farmers in the state, with some growing the plant for textiles or food but most growing for CBD.

On 'Promising Young Woman,' consent, and a harrowing ending

In an audacious and provocative film, there’s no part more audacious and provocative than the final act of “Promising Young Woman,” in which protagonist Cassie  exacts her unique form of revenge. But though some call the film, nominated for five Oscars, a black comedy, there’s little funny about the end — it’s brutal, and feels very real. Writer-director Emerald Fennell says she wasn’t interested in a comic-book fantasy ending; nobody pulls out an AK-47 and blows the bad guys away. Fennell and star Carey Mulligan sat down over Zoom to discuss the film, that harrowing climax, and whether the movie can help raise awareness about sexual consent. 

Haiti prime minister resigns amid violence, political strife

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitian Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe announced early Wednesday that he has resigned as the country faces a spike in killings and kidnappings and prepares for an upcoming constitutional referendum and general election later this year. Jouthe…

US urges Lebanese leaders to break political impasse

BEIRUT (AP) — A senior U.S. official on Wednesday berated Lebanese politicians for fighting over the formation of a new government for months while millions endure mounting economic hardship. David Hale, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, said America…

In Minnesota, suburban mayor is thrust into policing debate

Mike Elliott is among many who celebrated his election as mayor of Brooklyn Center as the beginning of a new era. The inner-ring Minneapolis suburb is one of the most racially diverse places in the state and would for the first time be led by a person of color. A little more than two years later, Elliott is finding out just how difficult it is to turn the page on the nation’s racial history. The shooting of Daunte Wright, a Black man, by a white police officer has set off protests, political upheaval and painful reckoning about racism and representation in his small city.

Cover unveiled for Clinton-Penny novel 'State of Terror'

NEW YORK (AP) — The cover for Hillary Clinton's first novel will not be mistaken for those of her memoirs. There's no smiling photograph like on the front of 2003's “Living History” or the more sober portrait of Clinton for…

Coinbase is here ... a digital currency exchange goes public

Wall Street will be focusing on Coinbase with the digital currency exchange becoming a publicly traded company. Coinbase is going public Wednesday with cryptocurrency chatter seemingly coming from everywhere, even at the U.S. Federal Reserve. It is being incorporated into the business plans and accepted by major companies such as Tesla, PayPal and Visa. There were 43 million verified Coinbase users in 2020, with 2.8 million making transactions monthly. Its revenue more than doubled to $1.14 billion last year and the company swung to a profit of $322.3 million after losing tens of millions in 2019.

EU court rejects 2 Ryanair challenges of airline subsidies

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European Union court dealt another blow to Ryanair on Wednesday and rejected the low-cost carrier's arguments that the aid Sweden, Denmark and Finland gave two other airlines to get through the COVID-19 crisis was illegal.…

Report: Broad missteps left Capitol Police unprepared Jan. 6

A blistering internal report by the U.S. Capitol Police describes a multitude of missteps that left the force unprepared for the Jan. 6 insurrection. The report obtained by The Associated Press says riot shields shattered upon impact, expired weapons couldn’t be used, training courses had been skipped and an intelligence division had no set standards. The watchdog report was released internally last month. It provides new details about broader security and intelligence failures that Congress has been investigating. And it provides details about conversations between officials as they disagreed on whether National Guard forces were necessary to back up the understaffed police force.

Study finds people want more than watchdogs for journalists

A study of people's attitudes toward the press finds that distrust goes deeper than just partisanship and down to how journalists define their mission. Americans want their journalists to be more than watchdogs. The study was released Wednesday by the Media Insight Project, a collaboration between the American Press Institute and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It suggested that while Americans support journalists on their hunt for facts, they don't necessarily agree that the role of the press is to shine a light on problems for communities to solve them. The reports says the press' job is bigger and broader than it has been defined.

Mumbai imposes strict virus restrictions as infections surge

The teeming metropolis of Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, the Indian state worst hit by the pandemic, face stricter restrictions for 15 days in an effort to stem the surge of coronavirus infections. Top state officials stressed that the closure of most industries, businesses, public places and limits on the movement of people doesn't constitute a lockdown. Last year, a sudden nationwide lockdown left millions jobless overnight and since then, state leaders have repeatedly stressed that another lockdown wasn’t on the cards. The distinction did little to allay fears of thousands of migrant workers waiting at a Mumbai railway station for a ride home. India has detected over 180,000 new infections in the past 24 hours, about a third in Maharashtra state.

China-drafted electoral reform bill introduced in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s electoral reform bill was introduced in the city’s legislature on Wednesday, setting in motion changes that will give Beijing greater control over the process while reducing the number of directly elected representatives. The bill…

Mobile sports betting money tempts cash-strapped states

States around the country are realizing that future of sports betting — and tax money to be made from it — is online. But they’re also realizing that that extra tax money isn’t nearly enough to balance state budgets. Currently, 15 states plus Washington, D.C., offer mobile sports betting, and several others are considering adopting it. More than 80% of sports betting in the U.S. is done via smartphone or computer. New York stands to become one of the largest markets once it gets mobile betting up and running, perhaps next year.

Royal funeral offers chance for William, Harry to reconcile

When Prince Philip’s funeral takes place this weekend, it will be more than a focal point for national mourning. Many will also be watching for any signs of reconciliation between Prince Harry and the royal family, especially with his elder brother Prince William. It will be the first time that Harry comes face-to-face with the royal family since he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped away from royal duties last March and moved to California with their young son, Archie. Many observers believe that the funeral will provide an ideal opportunity for the monarchy to show a united front and for the royal brothers to mend their rift. But some say it will take more time than that to heal the hurt.

LEADING OFF: Cubs managing COVID scare, Musgrove vs Bucs

The Chicago Cubs hope to stay on schedule amid a coronavirus scare that’s landed four players on the COVID-19 injured list the past two days. Scheduled starter Kyle Hendricks was scratched Tuesday after the right-hander indicated he wasn’t feeling well — the team didn’t immediately provide more info on his status, other than to say the move was made out of caution. Chicago is set to wrap a series in Milwaukee, with Brewers ace Corbin Burnes facing Jake Arrieta. Elsewhere, Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove makes his first start since throwing a no-hitter, and it'll come against his former team.

Japan's Toshiba president steps down amid acquisition talks

TOKYO (AP) — The president of Toshiba Corp. stepped down Wednesday, a week after the the Japanese technology and manufacturing giant said it was studying an acquisition proposal from a global fund where he previously worked. Nobuaki Kurumatani tendered his…

Plunked again, Contreras hits back with HR, Cubs beat Brews

Willson Contreras struck back after getting plunked again by the Brewers, hitting a two-run homer in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied past Milwaukee 3-2 on Tuesday night. Contreras has already been hit by a pitch from the Brewers three times this season. He got his revenge when he hit a towering drive off Brent Suter. Contreras turned himself around and flipped his bat back toward the Cubs dugout before beginning his trot. Contreras put his finger to his lips several times as if to hush Milwaukee fans. Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff hit Contreras earlier. When Woodruff was at the plate in the fifth inning, Cubs reliever Ryan Tepera threw behind him, and they exchanged words,

Senate filibuster test over Asian-American hate crime bill

The Senate is poised to debate legislation confronting the rise of potential hate crimes against Asian Americans. The problem has grown during the coronavirus crisis in several high-profile attacks on Asian Americans in the U.S. The debate ahead will also test whether the Senate can push past partisanship or whether it will grind to a halt with a filibuster. On Tuesday, several leaders of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Congress detailed personal stories of the racism they and their constituents have faced during the virus outbreak. Some have met with the families of the victims of deadly shootings last month in Atlanta.

Taiwanese-born Chang gets racist tweets after Indians error

Cleveland Indians first baseman Yu Chang shared some racist tweets he received after making a costly error in Monday night’s game in Chicago. The Taiwanese player posted some of the anti-Asian tweets on his Twitter account Tuesday while asking for tolerance. One of the messages referred to the shape of his eyes and another referred to the coronavirus. Indians manager Terry Francona called the tweets “stupid and ignorant" and said they have no place in baseball or "anywhere.“ The 25-year-old Chang's throwing error in the ninth inning allowed the White Sox to score the game-winning run in a 4-3 victory. I

Biden works to balance civil rights and criminal justice

President Joe Biden’s difficult balancing act on policing was put on vivid display over the course of a few hours as he tries to navigate criminal justice and civil rights. Biden mourned with the family of a fallen police officer at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. Later, he pledged at the White House to help end the epidemic of Black men being killed by police. The nation is awaiting the conclusion of the trial in Minnesota of the white police officer accused of killing George Floyd. Tensions have only been heightened by the shooting death this week of another Black man in Minnesota, Daunte Wright.

Mantha shines in debut, Ovechkin scores as Caps rout Flyers

Anthony Mantha had a two points in his Washington debut, Alex Ovechkin scored the 728th goal of his NHL career and the Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1. The East Division-leading Capitals went 3 for 3 on the power play as part of another offensive outburst. Mantha had a goal and an assist after a trade from Detroit. Ovechkin scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season. The Capitals have won three in a row. The Flyers lost for the sixth time in eight games.

New Zealand bans live cow exports due to welfare concerns

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand announced Wednesday it is banning the export of live cows and other farm animals by sea due to welfare concerns. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the ban would take up to two years…

Driver jailed for 22 years for killing 4 Australian police

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A truck driver was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Wednesday for hitting and killing four police officers on an Australian freeway. Mohinder Singh was drug-effected and sleep-deprived when his truck veered into an emergency…

Pakistan forces try to clear sit-ins by protesting Islamists

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces swinging batons and firing teargas moved before dawn Wednesday to clear sit-ins by protesting Islamists in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and elsewhere after five people died in earlier clashes, officials said. The…