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Ukraine gets good news about its EU membership quest as Balkans countries slip back in the queue

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia received positive news on Wednesday about their quests to join the European Union but countries in the volatile Balkans region that have waited years longer to become members of the world’s biggest trading bloc appeared to slip back in the queue.In a series of reports, the EU’s executive branch recommended that war-ravaged Ukraine should be permitted to open membership talks, once it’s addressed some shortfalls.The European Commission lauded Ukraine, which Russian troops invaded last year, saying that the government “has shown a remarkable level of institutional strength, determination and ability to function.” But it said that talks should only start once it has addressed corruption, lobbying concerns, and a law on national minorities.Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova was delivered a similar message.Georgia was told that it should officially be named as a candidate to join once it addresses shortcomings, including in the fight against cor...

Croatia recommends people drink tap water after several fall ill from drinking bottled drinks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Authorities in Croatia on Wednesday recommended people drink only tap water as they investigated reports of several cases of people falling ill and suffering injuries allegedly after consuming bottled beverages.Health Minister Vili Beros said several people have sought medical help for “injuries inflicted by suspected chemical elements.” Most have had mild symptoms and will be released home, he said.Health authorities ordered the “suspected” products pulled out from shops, restaurants and elsewhere. They did not say which products were being withdrawn, but photos on social media from shops suggested they were Coca-Cola brands.“Preliminary we can say that two (cases) were directly linked to the consuming of certain drinks while we are yet to determine the rest,” Beros said. “There is no need for panic but there is for caution.”The Coca-Cola Co. in Croatia offered full cooperation in a statement. It said it had conducted an internal investigation that “sho...

Chinese auto sales surged 10% year-on-year in October in fastest growth since May, exports up 50%

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Sales of passenger cars rose 10.2% in October over a year earlier, an industry association said Wednesday, as makers ramped up promotions and customers opted for electric and hybrid vehicles. Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles climbed 37.5% from a year earlier, accounting for 767,000 of the 2.03 million vehicles sold in October, the China Passenger Car Association said. Exports of passenger cars jumped nearly 50% to 391,000 units in October and have risen 66% this year, to just over 3 million units. The robust improvements partly reflect slow growth a year earlier, when China was grappling with factory shutdowns and other disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for vehicles also tends to be stronger in September and October, which are dubbed the “nine silvers and 10 golds,” the report said.So far this year, auto sales in China have climbed 3.2% to just under 17.3 million units. The report said Tesla delivered 47,164 Model Y vehicles and 24,951 Model 3s...

To help 2024 voters, Meta says it will begin labeling political ads that use AI-generated imagery

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook and Instagram will require political ads running on their platforms to disclose if they were created using artificial intelligence, their parent company announced on Wednesday.Under the new policy by Meta, labels acknowledging the use of AI will appear on users’ screens when they click on ads. The rule takes effect Jan. 1 and will be applied worldwide.The development of new AI programs has made it easier than ever to quickly generate lifelike audio, images and video. In the wrong hands, the technology could be used to create fake videos of a candidate or frightening images of election fraud or polling place violence. When strapped to the powerful algorithms of social media, these fakes could mislead and confuse voters on a scale never seen.Meta Platforms Inc. and other tech platforms have been criticized for not doing more to address this risk. Wednesday’s announcement — which comes on the day House lawmakers hold a hearing on deepfakes — isn&#...

Nasty drought in Syria, Iraq and Iran wouldn’t have happened without climate change, study finds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

A three-year drought that has left millions of people in Syria, Iraq and Iran with little water wouldn’t have happened without human-caused climate change, a new study found.The west Asian drought, which started in July 2020, is mostly because hotter-than-normal temperatures are evaporating the little rainfall that fell, according to a flash study Wednesday by a team of international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution.Without the world warming 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) since the mid-19th century, “it would not be a drought at all,” said lead author Friederike Otto, an Imperial College of London climate scientist.It’s a case of climate change unnaturally intensifying naturally dry conditions into a humanitarian crisis that has left people thirsty, hungry and displaced, concluded the research, which has not yet undergone peer review but follows scientifically valid techniques to look for the fingerprints of global warming.The team looked at temperatures...

Blazing hot October almost guarantees 2023 will be the hottest year ever recorded

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

This October was the hottest on record globally, 1.7 degrees Celsius (3.1 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the pre-industrial average for the month — and the fifth straight month with such a mark in what will now almost certainly be the warmest year ever recorded.October was a whopping 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the previous record for the month in 2019, surprising even Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the European climate agency that routinely publishes monthly bulletins observing global surface air and sea temperatures, among other data.“The amount that we’re smashing records by is shocking,” Burgess said.A surfer rides a wave in the Atlantic Ocean in Biarritz, southwestern France, Oct. 7, 2023. October was the fifth straight month that Earth set a record for the hottest month in recorded history. (AP Photo/Bob Edme, File)After the cumulative warming of these past several months, it’s virtu...

Showers developing Wednesday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

Mild weather continues Wednesday. Cloudy skies with scattered showers developing late afternoon. A few thunderstorms are possible., NW 5-15 G20. High 58 Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Wednesday night will see a few lingering showers and decreasing clouds late, NW 10-15. 42Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Thursday will be mostly sunny, windy, W 15-20 G35. High of 52

Manor voters pass $166.8 million bond package

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Manor voters decided on the Nov. 7 election on a three-part bond package coming in for a total of $166.8 million. All three propositions passed. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, Proposition A and Proposition B passed, according to KXAN projections.KXAN projected at 11:28 p.m. that Proposition C passed as well. The first proposal, Proposition A, costs $15 million. The City of Manor will use those funds to build infrastructure for the growing city, such as water and sewer lines. This, in part, to attract potential businesses to Manor.In an October interview, the economic development director for the City of Manor, Scott Jones, said multiple companies have approached the city about planting roots, many of them supporting industries to major tech companies in the area. Election Results Prop B comes in at $61,695,000. The project will allow the city to build a recreation center and up...

Police presence in Albany West Hill Neighborhood

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- There is currently a police presence on North Lake and Third in Albany. Details regarding the presence are limited at this time. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! NEWS10 is working to learn more and has a crew on the scene. Stick with NEWS10 as more information becomes available.

Ask Amy: Wedding drama leads to devastation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:47:38 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband’s niece is getting married. I’m so happy for her.There has been much talk about the wedding. We already received the save-the-date.Several wedding-related conversations have been held in front of my 12-year-old daughter.In front of the family, I told my daughter that we could get her a beautiful dress to wear to the wedding. We then bought a dress.Then the wedding invitation arrived in the mail: NO CHILDREN ALLOWED!I was completely devastated — to say the least.Then, I found out that there are children attending the wedding, but they have to be over the age of 15.My daughter was really upset when I told her that she wasn’t invited to the wedding.I feel that the family should have taken me aside in advance to let me know my daughter was excluded.I declined going to the wedding due to my daughter’s disappointment.My husband plans to attend the wedding without me.Related ArticlesAsk Amy | Ask Amy: Reconnected couple deals with sil...