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Biden administration awards $653 million in grants for 41 projects to upgrade ports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Department on Friday awarded $653 million in grants to upgrade and improve 41 water-based ports across the United States.The grants are part of the $1 trillion in infrastructure investments included in a bipartisan law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. Biden administration officials said the projects being supported will allow ports to meet greater shipping demands as well as lowering costs for consumers and improving worker safety.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on a call with reporters that supply chain challenges starting in 2021 drove up prices as the United States recovered from the pandemic. He said the goal of the projects is to improve the infrastructure for ports so that they can withstand the kinds of shocks seen during the pandemic.“Our goal is to strengthen those supply chains in a durable fashion,” Buttigieg said. “Today’s announcement is another big step in that direction.”The grants included $43.4 million to...

Storm Ciarán kills 3 people as it brings record rainfall to Italy, taking European death toll to 10

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Record-breaking rain produced floods in a vast swath of Tuscany as Storm Ciarán pushed into Italy overnight Friday, trapping residents in their homes, inundating hospitals and overturning cars. At least three people were killed, bringing the storm’s death toll in western Europe to 10.Italian Civil Protection authorities said 200 millimeters (nearly 8 inches) of rain fell in a three-hour period, from the city of Livorno on the coast to the inland valley of Mugello, and caused riverbanks to overflow. Video shows at least a dozen cars getting pushed down a flooded road.The dead in Tuscany included an 85-year-old man found in the flooded ground floor of his home near the city of Prato, north of Florence, and an 84-woman who died while trying to push water out of her home in the same area, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The other victim was reported in Livorno.At least three people were missing Friday in Tuscany, and one person was reported missing in the mountains o...

Stock market today: Global shares follow Wall St higher on hopes for an end to Fed rate hikes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — World shares advanced on Friday after Wall Street roared higher on bets that market-rattling interest rate hikes are coming to an end.U.S. futures were little changed and oil prices logged modest gains.Germany’s DAX gained 0.3% to 15,184.05 and the CAC 40 in Paris added 0.2% to 7,076.01. Britain’s FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 7,464.21.Investors have taken heart from comments by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggesting interest rates might not have to be raised further to keep inflation in check. Wall Street could be headed for more swings, though. The latest monthly update on the U.S. jobs market, due later Friday, is expected to show a slowdown in hiring for October.The S&P 500 leaped 1.9% Thursday in its fourth straight winning day and is already up 4.9% this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.7% and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.8%.Asian markets also advanced. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 2.6% to 17,687.00, while the Shanghai Composite gained 0....

Burnt Hills looking to make amends for 2022 playoff loss to Averill Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

BURNT HILLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Averill Park and Burnt Hills have been fixtures in the Class A playoff picture the past few seasons. This year, the Warriors earned the top seed in the Capital Division, with the Spartans locking up the two seed in the Grasso under first-year head coach Kevin DeBonis. Friday night, the two sides will clash in the section semis in our 1st & 10 “Game of the Week.” Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! This is the first meeting between the two teams since last year's Class A semi-final game, where the Warriors unloaded for a 42-21 win. The Spartans had beaten AP 21-0 in the regular season before the playoff loss, and Burnt Hills admits they looked past the Warriors. Not this time."The kids' mindsets were just trying to get back to the Super Bowl and AP punched us in the face," said Debonis. "This AP team is very similar to that big physical team. I said, 'However you want to use it for motivation, fine,...

Metsola: 'We have a duty to meet this moment' 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

Addressing the European Council, President Metsola (pictured) said that taking a strong stance against terror and making all efforts to alleviate Gaza's humanitarian crisis are not mutually exclusive.In her discussion with the leaders, she said:“As a Union, we have a responsibility to remain coherent and united. To do this is not to condone more death and violence but to avoid a dangerous regional escalation of the conflict. We must leave even a sliver of possibility that peace can ultimately be found.The European Parliament has condemned Hamas in the strongest possible terms. We know that Hamas must be stopped.As a Parliament we have always and will always keep insisting on respect for international law, that the humanitarian consequences of stopping Hamas must be a priority and that aid must be able to reach the innocent people in need.Taking a strong stance against terror and making every effort to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are not mutually exclusive.That is why w...

Spies to test AI: Insights from Yesterday's UK AI Summit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

The United Kingdom recently hosted an AI summit that brought together experts, innovators, and policymakers to discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI). While the event covered a wide range of topics and applications, one notable aspect was the significant focus on AI's role in intelligence and security, where it was revealed that spies would be testing new AI technologies. In this article, we delve into the key takeaways from the summit, particularly the implications of AI in the intelligence and security sector.The AI Summit in the UK: A SnapshotThe UK AI summit served as a platform for unveiling the latest advancements in AI technology and understanding how it can be harnessed to address various challenges and opportunities. The summit gathered thought leaders from academia, industry, and government agencies, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and fostering innovation. The headline-grabbing highlight was the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's interview with El...

Copyright protection has become a sensitive issue worldwide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

Increasing globalization and rapid proliferation of technology has led to an increasing need to protect copyright.More and more organizations are falling victim to attacks and exposures and, in globally 2023, the average cost of a data breach was an all-time high of $4.45 million - a 2.3% increase from the previous year and a 15.3% rise from 2020.But it is not just breach of copyright coming under the spotlight – so too are the regulators and authorities overseeing the sector.Take Georgia, for example.Since 2019 the Georgian Government has been attempting to update its copyright regulations, aiming to bring them into alignment with international standards and practises. New legislation has been introduced to this end but this has been beset by delays due to a combination of factors.These include Covid, the war in Ukraine and also perceived lobbying by international organisations.The organisation which oversees copyright in the country is the Georgian Copyright Association (GCA).It i...

Busting destination complex - that's Stonham Barns Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

The economic slump has left many wondering how to generate extra  income.While there are different ways of achieving that, there are few that combine income generation with good old pleasure.That is where owning your own holiday home comes in.It is an ideal way of, yes, raising income from a different source but it is also a means of escaping the rat race. A holiday home gives you the chance to escape the trials and tribulations of everyday life, for either a short break or a longer term get-away-from-it-all experience.But  when you own your own holiday home you also have the option of renting it out and that is where the income generation element comes in.One holiday home business that is well worth considering is Stonham Barns Park, based in East Anglia, a region that is often overlooked by people in Belgium but is well worth visiting. All you need here is to provide proof of a permanent address - in Belgium or anywhere. This allows you to purchase either ...

Bridge: Nov. 3, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

Most of us would define a good contract as one that will succeed more often than not. (It’s right to bid vulnerable games with under a 50-50 chance.) Cy the Cynic’s definition of a “good contract” is one that makes.Today’s North-South bid boldly to slam. West led the ace of trumps (“to see dummy,” I guess) and a second trump. South won and took the A-K of clubs. When East-West followed, South cashed the A-K of diamonds to pitch dummy’s last club and ruffed a club.DIAMOND LOSERSouth then drew the missing trump and took two club winners, but he had a diamond loser. He finessed with the queen of hearts — and went down two.Six spades was a fair contract (but by Cy’s definition it was terrible). South succeeds with better timing. After he wins the second trump, he takes the top diamonds to pitch a club from dummy, ruffs a diamond, cashes the top clubs and ruffs a club.South then takes the ace of hearts, ruffs a heart and draws t...

Horoscopes Nov. 3, 2023: Dolph Lundgren, leave nothing to chance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:25 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Elizabeth Smart, 36; Gemma Ward, 36; Colin Kaepernick, 36; Dolph Lundgren, 66.Happy Birthday: You’ll score big this year by focusing on what’s important. Leave nothing to chance or up to someone else, and you’ll gain respect and the momentum you require to go above and beyond your goal. Don’t let any opportunity go by the wayside. It’s your turn to explore the possibilities and to utilize your skills and expertise to get ahead personally and professionally. Your numbers are 5, 16, 24, 28, 33, 42, 47.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Let go of what isn’t working and embrace what excites you. It’s time to eliminate stress and focus on what makes you happy. Engage in learning new skills and fine-tuning how you present yourself to the world. Please yourself and sport a new look. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pave the way for new beginnings by eliminating unfinished business. Reach out to those who can speed up the proce...