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Retail sales rise 0.3% in November as Americans hit gas rather than brakes on spending

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans picked up their spending from October to November unexpectedly as the unofficial holiday season kicked off, underscoring the power of shoppers despite elevated prices.Retail sales rose 0.3%, in November from October, when sales were down a revised 0.2% according to the Commerce Department on Thursday. Sales were expected to decline again in November due to a myriad of issues, including uncertainty over the economy. Excluding car and gas sales, sales rose 0.6%.As they have been doing for much of the year American consumers, a huge engine for economic growth in the U.S., hit the stores, shopped online or went out to restaurants. Business at restaurants rose 1.6%, while sales at furniture stores rose 0.9%. Online sales rose 1%. Business at clothing and accessories stores were up 0.6%. Electronic and appliance sales, however, fell 1.1% Sales at department stores fell 2.5%. The figures aren’t adjusted for inflation.The urge to spend for Americans appears to have...

Key leaders depart GM’s Cruise amid ongoing investigation into San Francisco accident

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Several key leaders at General Motors’ troubled autonomous vehicle unit are no longer with the company amid an ongoing investigation into an October accident involving one of its driverless cars. Cruise said late Wednesday that nine individuals departed following an initial analysis of the incident on Oct. 2 and the company response after a Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian who had been hit by another vehicle driven by a human. The Cruise vehicle then pinned the pedestrian under one of its tires after coming to a stop. California regulators have alleged that Cruise covered up the severity of the October accident — which could result in a potential penalty of roughly $1.5 million. The robotaxi service is also being investigated by U.S. regulators after separate receiving reports of potential risks to pedestrians and passengers.The latest departures include leaders in from legal, government affairs, commercial operations and safety and systems teams, Cruise s...

El papa Francisco pide un tratado que regule la IA y advierte del riesgo de una “dictadura tecnológica”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

(CNN) — El papa Francisco pidió un tratado internacional para regular el uso de la inteligencia artificial (IA), advirtiendo del riesgo de que esta nueva tecnología provoque una “dictadura tecnológica” que amenace la paz y la democracia.El pontífice, de 86 años, quiere que los líderes mundiales acuerden un “tratado internacional vinculante” sobre la IA desarrollado dentro de un marco ético. Francisco hizo el llamado en su mensaje anual para el Día Mundial de la Paz que celebra la Iglesia católica cada 1 de enero.“La capacidad humana única para el juicio moral y la toma de decisiones éticas es más que una compleja colección de algoritmos, y esa capacidad no puede reducirse a programar una máquina, que por muy ‘inteligente’ que sea sigue siendo una máquina”, escribió Francisco.“Hay que plantearse una serie de preguntas urgentes. ¿Cuáles serán las consecuencias, a mediano y largo plazo, de estas nuevas tecnologías digitales? ¿...

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Par Scores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

ThursdayAt Heritage Golf ClubBel Ombre, MauritiusPurse: $1.2 millionYardage: 7,331; Par: 72First RoundAntoine Rozner, France33-29—62-10Paul Waring, England32-31—63-9Jayden Trey Schaper, South Africa30-35—65-7Laurie Canter, England34-32—66-6Dan Erickson, United States36-30—66-6Darren Fichardt, South Africa32-34—66-6Lyle Rowe, South Africa33-33—66-6Louis De Jager, South Africa36-31—67-5Casey Jarvis, South Africa31-36—67-5Rupert Kaminski, South Africa34-33—67-5Matteo Manassero, Italy35-32—67-5Pieter Moolman, South Africa32-35—67-5Jaco Prinsloo, South Africa32-35—67-5Marcel Schneider, Germany32-35—67-5Lars Van Meijel, Netherlands33-34—67-5Thomas Aiken, South Africa34-34—68-4Bradley Bawden, England34-34—68-4Daniel Brown, England33-35—68-4Martin Couvra, France33-35—68-4Jacques De Villiers, South Africa33-35—68-4Pedro Figueiredo, Portugal33-35—68-4Deon Germishuys, South Africa34-34—68-4Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, Denmark33-35—68-4Jeong-Weon Ko, France36-32—68-4Nicolai Kristensen, Denmark34-34...

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Scores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

ThursdayAt Heritage Golf ClubBel Ombre, MauritiusPurse: $1.2 millionYardage: 7,331; Par: 72First RoundAntoine Rozner, France33-29—62Paul Waring, England32-31—63Jayden Trey Schaper, South Africa30-35—65Laurie Canter, England34-32—66Dan Erickson, United States36-30—66Darren Fichardt, South Africa32-34—66Lyle Rowe, South Africa33-33—66Louis De Jager, South Africa36-31—67Casey Jarvis, South Africa31-36—67Rupert Kaminski, South Africa34-33—67Matteo Manassero, Italy35-32—67Pieter Moolman, South Africa32-35—67Jaco Prinsloo, South Africa32-35—67Marcel Schneider, Germany32-35—67Lars Van Meijel, Netherlands33-34—67Thomas Aiken, South Africa34-34—68Bradley Bawden, England34-34—68Daniel Brown, England33-35—68Martin Couvra, France33-35—68Jacques De Villiers, South Africa33-35—68Pedro Figueiredo, Portugal33-35—68Deon Germishuys, South Africa34-34—68Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, Denmark33-35—68Jeong-Weon Ko, France36-32—68Nicolai Kristensen, Denmark34-34—68Joakim Lagergren, Sweden36-32—68Dylan Naidoo, ...

Today in Sports – Raiders play their final NFL game in Oakland; team moving to Las Vegas next season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

Dec. 151925 — The first NHL game is played at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Americans score first, but the Montreal Canadiens prevail 3-1, before 17,000 in attendance.1929 — The Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 in their first game at Chicago Stadium. Vic Ripley scores twice in 35 seconds during the second period to the delight of the 14,212 fans in attendance.1935 — Detroit Lions win NFL championship with a 26-7 win over the New York Giants.1946 — Chicago Bears beat the New York Giants 24-14 at the Polo Grounds for the NFL championship. A record crowd of 58,326 attend the game. Sid Luckman’s 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth puts the Bears ahead 21-14. Before the game, New York’s star fulback Merles Hapes is declared ineligible by NFL commissioner Bert Bell for not reporting bribe attempt to throw the game. New York police phone taps produced coversations with gambler Alvin J. Paris and Hapes. The Bears were 10-point favorites.1964 — San Francisco’s Wil...

Police seek public’s help in locating 73-year-old man reported missing from Fort Lauderdale

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a 73-year-old man. According to police, Concepcion Gutierrez was last seen near 1600 South Andrews Avenue on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m.https://twitter.com/ftlauderdalepd/status/1735144984775434322?s=20Gutierrez is described as a Hispanic male, standing at 5 feet 7 inches and weighing 150 pounds. He may be wearing a gray shirt, black jacket, black pants, black shoes and a silver Lakers hat.Anyone with information about Gutierrez’s whereabouts is asked to contact the police.

Florida community unites after vandal destroys sand menorah

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

JUNO BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) — In the face of hate, a Florida community has come together, stronger than ever, after a vicious vandal destroyed a sand menorah. Instead of succumbing to pain, residents turned the incident into an opportunity to send a powerful message of unity and resilience.The sand menorah, built on the first night of Hanukkah last Thursday on Juno Beach, was vandalized on Tuesday. Not only was it destroyed, but the vandal also used tiki torch candles to form a Nazi swastika on top. In response, community members, undeterred, insisted on rebuilding the menorah. Despite heavy winds and rain, hundreds gathered on Wednesday evening to witness the menorah being relit. The ceremony turned a potentially dark moment into a celebration of strength and solidarity.Barbara Wagner, a Jupiter resident, expressed her emotions. “It brings tears to my eyes, honestly, to see all these people,” she said. Rabbi Leib Ezagui expressed the importance of coming together in t...

NATO’s Romania castigates Putin’s forces over new drone crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

Romania accused the Kremlin of an “irresponsible escalation” on Thursday, after it once again found evidence that a Russian drone crashed on its territory following Moscow’s overnight attack on a Ukrainian port.“[Romania’s foreign ministry] summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against these continued actions, which are in flagrant contradiction with the international law and an irresponsible escalation,” Romania’s ambassador to NATO, Dan Neculăescu, said.Romanian authorities on Thursday found a 1.5-meter-deep crater in an uninhabited area of eastern Romania, about 4 kilometers from the small town of Grindu, which was the result of a drone crash, according to Romania’s defense ministry.The area has been secured and authorities have launched an investigation.This is a “new violation of Romania’s airspace, contrary to international law,” the foreign ministry said. As a NATO member, Romania is protected under Article 5 of the military alliance’s treaties, which says that an ...

NATO chief sees ‘real risk’ of Putin attacking other countries after Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:37 GMT

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned today that Russian President Vladimir Putin will wage war elsewhere if Russia defeats Ukraine.“If Putin wins in Ukraine, there is real risk that his aggression will not end there,” Stoltenberg told reporters during a meeting with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico. “Our support is not charity. It is an investment in our security.”Fico, who won September’s election, is skeptical of aiding Ukraine and has ended military deliveries to Kyiv. But Stoltenberg wants the alliance to hold firm against Russia.“The only way to reach a just and lasting solution is to convince President Putin that they will not win on the battlefield.And the only way to ensure that President Putin realizes that he is not winning on the battlefield is to continue to support Ukraine,” the NATO chief said.His comments came on the same day the Russian leader made clear he has no intention of backing down in his war agai...