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Palestinian militants fire more rockets, Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza despite cease-fire efforts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The most violent confrontation in months between Israel and Palestinian militants continued for a third straight day on Friday, as Israeli warplanes struck targets in the Gaza Strip and militants fired rockets toward Jerusalem and southern Israel. There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side Friday, as foreign mediators pressed ahead with efforts to reach a cease-fire. The past few days of fighting have killed 31 Palestinians in Gaza and a 70-year-old man in central Israel. A burst of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip sent warning sirens wailing near the contested capital of Jerusalem, breaking a 12-hour lull that had raised hopes that Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations could soon be able to broker a cease-fire. Residents in Israeli settlements surrounding Jerusalem reported hearing explosions and seeing black smoke rising from the hills after an apparent missile interception. A rocket slammed into an open field in Bat Ayin, a settlement s...

Commerce Department starts process to fund tech hubs across the US with $500 million in grants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Commerce Department on Friday is launching the application process for cities to receive a total of $500 million in grants to become technology hubs.The $500 million is part of a $10 billion authorization from last year’s CHIPS and Science Act to stimulate investments in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotech. It’s an attempt to expand tech investment that is largely concentrated around a few U.S. cities — Austin, Texas; Boston; New York; San Francisco; and Seattle — to the rest of the country. “This is about taking these places on the edge of glory to being world leaders,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told The Associated Press. “My job is to enhance America’s competitiveness.”The Biden administration has made it a priority to set an industrial strategy of directing government investment into computer chips, clean energy and a range of other technologies. Officials say that being leaders in those fi...

Pope joins Meloni in urging Italians to have more kids, not pets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis joined Italy’s conservative premier on Friday in encouraging Italians to have more children, denouncing the financial precariousness facing young couples and “selfish, egotistical” choices that have led to a record low birth rate that is threatening the country’s economic future.Francis urged concrete political action to invert the “demographic winter,” which in population terms resulted in the disappearance of a city the size of Bari last year. Blasting couples who have pets instead of children, Francis called for resources to be dedicated to helping couples grow their families, saying it was necessary to “plant the future” with hope.“Let us not resign ourselves to sterile dullness and pessimism,” Francis told an annual gathering of pro-family organizations. “Let us not believe that history is already marked, that nothing can be done to reverse the trend.”Italy recorded a record low number of live births last year, 392,598, which combined with an elevated n...

NYC lawmakers approve bill that bans weight discrimination

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

(The Hill) - The New York City Council on Thursday approved a bill to ban height- and weight-based discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations in the state. The proposal, which the council passed by a 44-5 vote on Thursday, amends the city's administrative code to add a mention of both height and weight — both perceived and actual — among a list of protected categories. “It’s official! The New York City Council has voted to ban weight and height discrimination in NYC!” announced the nonprofit National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. The bill also has an exemption for “employers needing to consider height or weight in employment decisions” in some cases, where permitted by law or where the physical factors are key to “performing essential requirements of a job and no alternative is available” or where the criteria are “reasonably necessary for the normal operation of the business.”“People with different body types are not only denied jobs and promotion...

Adidas to sell some Yeezy shoes and donate proceeds to charities months after Kanye West split

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months wrestling over the fate of milions of unsold Yeezy shoes, Adidas said Thursday it will sell a portion of its remaining inventory and donate the proceeds to charitable organizations.The German sportsware company cut ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, in late October, following his antisemitic comments on social media and in interviews. Since then, the fate of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) worth of the unsold Yeezys, a lucrative sneaker line launched with Ye, has been up in the air.At Adidas' annual shareholders meeting, CEO Bjorn Gulden said the company had spent months trying to find solutions. He said the company spoke to nongovernmental organization and groups that were harmed by Ye's comments and actions.“Burning those shoes cannot be the solution,” Gulden said, adding that Adidas will try to sell part of the remaining Yeezy inventory and “donate money to the organizations that help us and were harmed by what Ye said.” ...

Why Wisconsin's no-toll road solution may not work in Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As more energy-efficient and electric vehicles make their way into the American market, transportation departments across the country are grappling with one key question: How do we fund future infrastructure projects without a dependable gas tax?Currently, Texas collects 20 cents per gallon on gasoline and diesel fuels' sales, according to the Comptroller of Public Accounts. Billions of dollars in revenue collected go toward building and maintaining state highways, roads and bridges, as well as the state's Available School Fund for public education. Here in Texas, the state's toll road system also brings in significant revenues to support transportation infrastructure upgrades and improvements. But the Texas Department of Transportation's TxTag toll billing system hasn't gone without its own share of billing concerns.As electric-powered vehicles render the gas tax more obsolete, both states with and without toll roads are evaluating new techniques to collect funds to...

A popular Minnesota baitfish is in short supply. UMN’s golden shiner project hopes to help.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

Barry Thoele stands in front of one of his greenhouses near Staples, Minn. As part of the Minnesota Sea Grant golden shiner project, Thoele will grow baitfish right alongside his hydroponics system that grows lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and hot peppers. (Michael Johnson / Forum News Service)STAPLES, Minn. — Some Minnesota anglers could be skunked before they even hit the water for this weekend’s fishing opener with live bait supplies limited.Bait producer Barry Thoele, of Staples, blames record breaking winter kill as a major factor hurting bait supplies this spring. But the demise of the bait industry has been coming for years as minnow populations continue to shrink in the wild and in conventional farming practices that require overwintering in outdoor ponds, he added.Recent projections by bait dealers estimate a deficit of approximately 10,000 gallons of golden shiners annually in Minnesota. The golden shiner is a go-to bait for many walleye anglers, even as prices hang ou...

Ulster man found guilty of 2021 deadly shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An Ulster man is doing time in Ulster County Jail after a judge convicted him of a deadly shooting, that happened back in September 2021. Gregory Thayer, 50, was convicted on Wednesday in a non-jury trial before Judge Bryan Rounds in Ulster County Court. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Judge Rounds ruled that Thayer had committed second-degree murder in 2021. However, Thayer was mentally unstable at the time, so he could only be charged with first-degree manslaughter, the Judge said. Thayer was also convicted on a single charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a violent felony. The manslaughter conviction carries a sentence of up to 25 years in state prison, and the weapons charge carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, which can be imposed consecutively for a total of 40 years. Suspect convicted by jury after failing to appear in court According to evidence pres...

Kiszla: When was moment these Nuggets realized they were championship-worthy? “2019,” said guard Jamal Murray, putting the bluebloods of NBA on notice.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

PHOENIX –  Our dusty old cowtown ain’t never seen a basketball team like these Nuggets. They’re skilled. And sassy. Who’s next? Whether it’s LeBron or Steph, this wild bunch from Denver is itching for a fight, pardner.After they totally eclipsed the Suns in a 125-100 victory that broke the competitive spirit of Kevin Durant, I asked guard Jamal Murray late Thursday night to recall the exact moment when he realized these Nuggets had what it takes to win the first championship in franchise history.“2019,” Murray replied, without batting an eye.While the rest of the league might not realize how ready these Nuggets are to rock, their faith has never wavered through the ups, downs and devastating injuries that have deferred this dream during the past four years.It doesn’t matter to Denver that LeBron James or Steph Curry have more championship pedigree or the Celtics have raised 17 banners to the rafters. These Nuggets, who now await either the storied Lakers or defending champ Golden St...

Governor of Russia's Kursk says 'enemy' drone shot down - no injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:00 GMT

Russia's air defence forces shot down an "enemy" drone in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, its governor said on Wednesday (10 May), adding that falling debris damaged a gas pipeline and a house."Debris fell in the village of Tolmachevo. No one was hurt," the regional governor, Roman Starovoyt, said on the Telegram messaging app.Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia and on Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine.However, Kyiv has recently said that undermining Russia's logistics is part of preparation for a planned counteroffensive.