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British economy flatlines in third quarter of the year, in subdued update ahead of budget statement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The British economy flatlined in the third quarter of the year, official figures showed Friday ahead of a budget statement from the government later this month.The Office for National Statistics said growth in the July-to-September period was zero compared to the previous three-months.All sectors, such as manufacturing and construction, broadly showed the same subdued picture.Despite the uninspiring headline figure, the quarterly outcome was slightly ahead of analysts’ expectations for a modest decline in output.The British economy, like many others particularly in the world, is struggling to grow in the face of higher interest rates, which are aimed at taming inflation.Last week, the Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at the 15-year high of 5.25% and indicated that borrowing costs will likely remain at these sort of elevated levels for a while.The Bank of England, like other central banks, raised interest rates aggressively from near zero as i...

The Philippines and China report a new maritime confrontation near a contested South China Sea shoal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

MANILA (AP) — Chinese and Philippine vessels engaged in a new confrontation in the South China Sea on Friday, with Manila charging that a Chinese coast guard ship and accompanying vessels conducted dangerous maneuvers and blasted a Philippine supply ship with a water cannon in disputed waters.China responded that it acted appropriately under maritime law to defend what it says is its territory.The incident was the latest in a series of maritime confrontations between the two nations over territorial disputes that risk turning into more serious armed engagements.Tensions have risen recently as China has blockaded an isolated Philippine marine outpost on Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal. Last month, a Chinese coast guard ship and an accompanying vessel rammed a Philippine coast guard ship and a military-run supply boat near the contested shoal, according to Philippine officials. China accused the Philippine vessels of trespassing in what it said were Chinese waters “wi...

Australia offers to help Tuvalu residents escape rising seas and other ravages of climate change

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Australia on Friday offered the island nation of Tuvalu a lifeline to help residents escape the rising seas and increased storms brought by climate change. At a meeting of Pacific leaders in the Cook Islands, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a plan that will initially allow up to 280 Tuvaluans to come to Australia each year. Tuvalu has a population of 11,000, and its low-lying atolls make it particularly vulnerable to global warming.“We believe the people of Tuvalu deserve the choice to live, study and work elsewhere, as climate change impacts worsen,” Albanese said. “Australia has committed to provide a special pathway for citizens of Tuvalu to come to Australia, with access to Australian services that will enable human mobility with dignity.”Albanese described the new agreement as groundbreaking, and said the day would be remembered as significant, marking an acknowledgment that Australia was part of the Pacific family.He said the...

Commission strengthens co-operation on satellite data with the National Commission on Space Activities of Argentina to tackle societal challenges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

The Commission signed a Copernicus Administrative Arrangement on co-operation with the National Commission on Space Activities of Argentina (CONAE).The aim of the Arrangement is to share each other's satellite Earth Observation data on the basis of reciprocity. This Arrangement will provide mutual benefits. On the one hand, the National Commission on Space Activities of Argentina intends to provide end-users in Argentina with a facilitated and simplified access to data from Copernicus. On the other hand, Copernicus services deliver near-real-time data to users around the world through satellite and in situ systems like ground-based sensors. With access to such systems from Argentina, Copernicus services will be better and more precise.The signature of the Arrangement will be followed by the setting up of an Argentina EU Copernicus coordination group to implement the arrangement. Copernicus is the EU's Earth Observation programme. This Arrangement is part of the Copernicus global out...

Sheriff lacks evidence to bring charges in death of Jewish man in Thousand Oaks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

Authorities said Thursday that they do not have enough evidence to arrest a suspect after an elderly Jewish man died after an altercation with a pro-Palestinian demonstrator in Thousand Oaks.On Nov. 6, the victim, Paul Kessler, 69, suffered a severe head injury and was found at the intersection of Westlake and Thousand Oaks boulevards where demonstrations were taking place involving pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups.He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.“Witness accounts indicated that Kessler was involved in a physical altercation with counter-protester(s),” the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “During the altercation, Kessler fell backward and struck his head on the ground.”  According to the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Kessler was “struck in the head by a megaphone wielded by a pro-Palestinian protestor.” A video posted to social media shows him lying ...

San Jose Sharks find formula for success after two blowout losses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

SAN JOSE – So much went wrong for the San Jose Sharks over the first three-plus weeks of the regular season that perhaps it was about time that they caught a lucky bounce.Nikita Okhotiuk’s shot from just inside the blue line toward the net went off the skate of Fabian Zetterlund and right to Tomas Hertl, who was in the perfect spot — right in front of the Edmonton Oilers net – to tap the puck past Stuart Skinner for his second goal of the season.“When you spend most of the time in (the other team’s defensive) zone, you can get any bounce,” Hertl said. “It was a little bit of a lucky bounce, but I think we deserved it.”Hertl’s second-period goal, plus Mackenzie Blackwood’s 39 saves in another stellar performance, helped lead the Sharks to a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in a game between the NHL’s bottom two teams.Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored with 2:26 left in regulation time. But the Sharks killed a late penalty t...

‘Here to support them’: Healing through jiu-jitsu at Lorton Veterans Day event

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.Brazilian jiu-jitsu will be used as a form of therapy for veterans with disabilities in Lorton, Virginia, this weekend for Veterans Day.Capital MMA and Elite Fitness is partnering with the We Defy Foundation and GORUCK to host “Veterans Day Ruck & Roll” on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.The goal, according to Capital MMA and Elite Fitness’ co-owner Chad Malone, is to help vets “challenge themselves with their fitness goals, learn some martial arts and just have fun together.”The event is open to veterans of all fitness levels and their families. Malone said participants will learn some basic grappling techniques through indoor and outdoor workouts. The event will conclude with a roll-a-thon, or “friendly sparring round.”Proceeds will help raise funds for the We Defy Foundation’s scholarship...

Young scores 41, Murray hits go-ahead 3 as the Hawks beat the Magic 120-119 in Mexico City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Trae Young put on a show for nearly 20,000 fans in the NBA’s regular-season game in Mexico City.He wouldn’t mind getting to do it every season.Young scored 41 points, then fed Dejounte Murray for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds left to give the Atlanta Hawks a 120-119 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.“I love the energy of the arena tonight, the electricity. It was fun playing here,” Young said. “I know we’re obviously probably going to expand the league and expand it to a couple more cities. I mean, I’m going to be open to playing here. This is an unbelievable place to play.”Jalen Suggs scored 21 points and Paolo Banchero had 17, but missed a 3-pointer with 7.9 seconds remaining on Orlando’s final possession.“We were trying to run the same play for Franz (Wagner). He scored on a possession before but he drew two defenders, kicked it out to me and I missed the shot,” Banchero said. “We had a chance to win and we didn’t w...

La falta de ciertos tipos de conexión social está relacionada con un mayor riesgo de morir prematuramente, encuentra un estudio

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

(CNN) — Si visita a sus seres queridos en esta temporada navideña, un nuevo estudio sugiere que lo convierta en un hábito de forma regular, si aún no lo ha hecho. Aquellos que no socializan con amigos o familiares pueden ver aumentar su riesgo de morir prematuramente en un 39%.Muchos estudios anteriores relacionaron la soledad o el aislamiento social con un mayor riesgo de muerte prematura y otros resultados de salud. Pero pocos, si es que hay alguno, investigaron cómo estas asociaciones dependen del impacto combinado de diferentes tipos de interacción social, según un nuevo estudio publicado el jueves en la revista BMC Medicine.“Examinamos dos tipos diferentes de soledad y tres tipos diferentes de aislamiento social… y encontramos que cada uno de ellos estaba asociado con un mayor riesgo de morir”, dijo Hamish Foster, primer autor del estudio e investigador clínico en la Escuela de Salud y Bienestar de la Universidad de Glasgow en Escocia, durante una rueda ...

San Jose State secures 117-72 victory over Bethesda (CA)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:06:37 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Tibet Gorener scored 26 points as San Jose State beat Bethesda (CA) 117-72 on Thursday.Gorener also contributed nine rebounds for the Spartans (2-0). Latrell Davis scored 16 points, shooting 4 of 7 from the field and 8 for 10 from the line. Alvaro Cardenas Torre shot 5 of 9 from the field and 4 for 5 from the line to finish with 14 points, while adding eight assists.Jonathan Ileleji led the way for the Flames with 31 points and five steals. Stephen Perry added 15 points for Bethesda (CA). Jonathan Joseph also recorded 10 points.NEXT UPSan Jose State’s next game is Sunday against Texas Tech on the road. ___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source