Beyond Local

The United States is Earth's punching bag for nasty weather. Blame geography for the U.S. getting hit by stronger, costlier, more varied and frequent extreme weather than anywhere on the planet, several experts said.

The catalogs have been thumbed through , and the seed racks are sprouting like weeds at local nurseries and garden centers. There is now enough daylight across the country to start garden seeds without the aid of artificial lights.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The horse is symbolic of the American West, but when and how domesticated horses first reached the region has long been a matter of historical debate.

Cubed lamb replaces beef in this rich, flavourful version of the classic French stew boeuf bourguignon.

BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 150 Catholic priests and others associated with the Archdiocese of Baltimore sexually abused over 600 children and often escaped accountability, according to a long-awaited state report released Wednesday that revealed the scope of abuse spanning 80 years and accused church leaders of decades of coverups.

HUMBOLDT, SASKATCHEWAN — Church bells are to ring today in Humboldt at the same time as the deadly bus crash brought unimaginable tragedy to the small Saskatchewan city five years ago.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Risking China's anger, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday as a “great friend of America" in a fraught show of U.S. support at a rare high-level, bipartisan meeting on U.S. soil.

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China vowed reprisals against Taiwan after a meeting between the United States House speaker and the island's president, saying Thursday that the U.S. was on a “wrong and dangerous road."

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping called Thursday for peace talks over Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron appealed to him to “bring Russia to its senses,” but Xi gave no indication Beijing would use its leverage as Vladimir Putin's diplomatic partner to press for a settlement.

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a week after she was overheard on a leaked phone call offering to help an accused with his upcoming criminal trial, says MLAs and cabinet ministers are not free to engage in such discussions because the system must be independent.