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Skepticism prevails as Chinese leaders promise to back private businesses to spur slowing economy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The Fangbiaogan Real Estate Agency in the southern city of Nanning is still waiting for China’s post-COVID rebound.Home sales are 30-40% below last year’s depressed level after the economy barely grew in the latest quarter, according to the owner, who would give only his surname, Cai. He has cut staff by 80% to 40 employees. Their income from sales commissions has fallen as much as 90%.“People are worried,” said Cai. “They feel safer holding onto their savings instead of spending them.”Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government is making ambitious promises to drag the economy out of that crisis of confidence aggravated by tension with Washington, wilting exports, job losses and anxiety among foreign companies about an expanded anti-spying law.Its most striking pledge: To support entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth but have felt under attack over the past decade as the ruling Communist Party built up state-owned industry, tightened control over business and pr...

Blue blood from horseshoe crabs is valuable for medicine, but a declining bird needs them for food

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A primordial sea animal that lives on the tidal mudflats of the East Coast and serves as a linchpin for the production of vital medicines stands to benefit from new protective standards.But conservationists who have been trying for years to save a declining bird species — the red knot — that depends on horseshoe crabs fear the protections still don’t go far enough.Drug and medical device makers are dependent on the valuable blue blood of the crabs — helmet-shaped invertebrates that have scuttled in the ocean and tidal pools for more than 400 million years — to test for potentially dangerous impurities. The animals are drained of some of their blood and returned to the environment, but many die from the bleeding.Recent revisions to guidelines for handling the animals should keep more alive through the process, regulators said. The animals — not really true crabs but rather more closely related to land-dwelling invertebrates such as spiders and scorpions —...

Sunday Night Forecast: Mostly clear skies, dry & mild, low 60's

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

Sunday Night: Mostly clear skies, dry & mild. SSE 5-10 mph. Low lower 60s Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Monday: Mostly sunny & a bit warmer. NNW/NNE 5-10 mph. High 84, cooler lakeside. 

Lark Street Revitalization Project to start in Albany

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -When it comes to the way Lark Street operates, city contractors are looking to modernize the block for a more walkable future. On July 31, the work zone will be set up, and on August 7, construction will begin. The streetscape is expected to be finished by late Fall of 2023.From overall safety to cleanup efforts, Lark Street has some busy months ahead of itself. Over at Herbie’s Burgers, a former resident was catching up with family over some food and drinks. When told about the coming changes, Nick Vicente was hopeful for what the city will do. Crossing With Dignity Act in the works “I do look forward to, as a former resident, coming to see the old structures that are still being held up. But I do look forward to some of the things coming to change downtown," said Vicente.To current residents, some say the cobblestone intersections are part of the history of Albany. The city plans to alter the streetscape by removing all three entirely, with Tara Ramsey won...

Pasadena power outage hits some 3,000 customers

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

Several power outages affecting more than 3,000 customers in East Pasadena were reported Sunday night.  Just before 8 p.m., officials with the Pasadena Department of Water and Power said over Twitter that they were aware of the outages and that crews were troubleshooting the issue.  A map of the outages showed areas near Pasadena City College, along with the Mid Central, Daisy-Villa and Brigden Ranch neighborhoods impacted.  An outage map posted by Pasadena Water and Power on July 30, 2023. It is unclear what led to the outages, but by 8:30 p.m., the utility company reported that power had been restored. Anyone in Pasadena experiencing an outage are asked to call the power emergency line at 626-744-4673. 

Racist flyers left in driveways in Corte Madera, Larkspur

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

(BCN) -- Police in Marin are investigating racist messages disseminated in driveways Sunday similar to those strewn in many Bay Area cities for over a year. Several residents of Larkspur and Corte Madera woke up to find small, clear plastic bags in their driveways that contained leaflets with anti-Semitic and racist language, Central Marin Police said. No one has reported seeing anyone drop off the leaflets or other suspicious activity, according to police. However, by obtaining surveillance video from residences, police say they may have captured the suspect(s) and their vehicle. Any information gathered is being forwarded to the Marin County District Attorney's Office, police said. Possible pipe bomb found at Fremont business: police Similar flyers have been left in driveways in Danville, Concord, Berkeley, Palo Alto and other cities. In February 2022, Berkeley Police and the City Council said the messages there were placed by a "small, fringe white sup...

Caicedo has lit up the Women’s World Cup with her goals, but exhaustion has been a concern

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Linda Caicedo is fast-becoming the biggest story of the biggest Women’s World Cup to date.Her stunning goal to set up Colombia’s shock 2-1 win on Sunday over Germany, one of the tournament favorites, was the latest magical moment from the 18-year-old Real Madrid forward. But her performances on the field have been dimmed for some by concerns about her health. The goal against Germany was even more remarkable considering there were doubts Caicedo, who recovered after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 15, would be able to play after an episode in training earlier in the week.In a video released by Colombian media outlet DSPORT, she was seen holding her chest and then voluntarily going to the ground.Head coach Nelson Abadía said it was a culmination of stress and fatigue, adding there was “no problem.” There was a similar explanation on Sunday after another incident involving Caicedo.There’d been no signs of lingering effects when she stepped ar...

Describen el fósil de tortuga marina del Jurásico mejor conservado hasta la fecha

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

(CNN) — Hace unos 150 millones de años, una tortuga marina de enorme cabeza se sumergió en un mar tropical poco profundo que cubría lo que hoy es Europa. Se han descubierto pocos fósiles completos de esta tortuga marina del periodo Jurásico, llamada Solnhofia parsonsi. Sin embargo, los científicos describieron recientemente un fósil extraordinario que tiene todas sus extremidades con casi todos los huesos de los pies en su sitio, lo que revela por primera vez la forma y estructura de las extremidades de la tortuga.Todas las especies de tortugas marinas actuales tienen aletas alargadas y rígidas para impulsarse por las profundidades oceánicas. Pero las extremidades del fósil recién descrito eran más rechonchas que las de las tortugas marinas modernas en relación con el tamaño de su cuerpo. Estas extremidades más cortas sugieren que S. parsonsi nadaba en aguas costeras y no en mar abierto, según informaron los científicos el 26 de julio en la revista PLOS One.¿Cómo son las profu...

Vivo de milagro: niño de 8 años sobrevive al ataque de un puma en parque nacional

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

Un niño de 8 años que acampaba en el Parque Nacional Olympic, en el estado de Washington, sobrevivió con heridas leves tras el ataque de un puma el viernes por la noche, informó el Servicio de Parques Nacionales.“El puma abandonó casualmente su ataque después de que la madre del niño le gritara”, dijo el Servicio de Parques en un comunicado el domingo.El ataque se registró a las 6:30 p.m. del sábado, y las heridas fueron lo suficientemente leves como para que el niño, identificado por un portavoz del parque como un varón, fuera hospitalizado sólo para su evaluación, dijo.El gran felino estaba siendo buscado por el personal del servicio del parque, que planea aplicarle la eutanasia según las directrices establecidas desde hace tiempo, dijo el servicio del parque.“El Parque Nacional Olímpico cuenta con amplios protocolos para las observaciones, interacciones y ataques de animales salvajes, y la eliminación letal de este puma se ajusta a dichos protocolos”, decl...

What seniors should know about teaching as a second career

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:24:06 GMT

As seniors live longer, they may have opportunities to explore completely new career paths. After retirement, older adults may want to explore second careers that help them inspire a new generation of people. Teaching is one such career.A person is never too old to teach if he or she feels capable. In fact, more mature teachers may be coveted because they could bring life experience, social skills and flexibility to school districts. While there are certain protocols in place to become qualified to teach, thanks to teacher shortages brought on by the pandemic, many states now offer shorter routes to classrooms with alternative teacher certification programs that may not require master’s degrees.There are various reasons seniors may want to consider becoming teachers, and there are many teaching positions and opportunities for their consideration.Substitute teacherSeniors can begin their pursuits as substitute teachers. This option may not require any certification, and substitutes m...