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Opinion: Tennessee’s conservative Republicans can’t stop progress

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

Across the country, the illogical priorities of the right have become more and more glaring. And nowhere is this worse than in Tennessee, where conservatives have banned books and drag shows but have done nothing to protect kids from what is now their most likely cause of death: gun violence. Instead of addressing this crisis, after the mass shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville on March 27, the Republican-led legislature expelled from its chamber two Black freshman Democrats in their 20s — Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones — for daring to demand commonsense gun control.That this was a partisan act, a racist act and an anti-democratic act is undeniable. But it was also a desperate and ultimately futile act, one that could lead to positive change in the future.Nothing could be more revealing of the fragility of the GOP than these expulsions. Republican legislators could have engaged with Pearson and Jones on the issues, but instead they chose to deploy the one weap...

From Gilroy to the NHL: How a former San Jose Sharks fan came back to bite his childhood team

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

Dustin Wolf was such an active child while growing up in Gilroy that his mom, Michelle, decided that he needed to take skating lessons to help burn off some excess energy.It was the perfect decision.Wolf was enrolled in a learn-to-skate program at Sharks Ice in San Jose, then went on to play goalie for the Santa Clara Blackhawks youth hockey team. He would later star for the Jr. Kings in Los Angeles, the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, and both the Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers of the AHL after he became a full-time pro in 2021.Wednesday night, Wolf made his NHL debut for the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome, playing against the team he grew up cheering for, the San Jose Sharks.Wolf proceeded to make 23 saves for his first NHL win, as the Flames beat the Sharks 3-1.“It’s rewarding,” Wolf said. “You know, you put the work in each and every day and you dream about that as a kid, to get that first game and first win.”Wolf is just the 51st California-born player &#...

5 easy ways to protect your new home

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

Whether it’s a first-time home purchase, a vacation home purchase, a multigenerational family home purchase or a downsize to luxury for ages 55+, choosing and building a new home marks a significant investment.Besides basic homeowners insurance, which is described in more detail below and which lenders require for financing, other easy steps can help you protect your new-construction home for decades.Meet the neighborsBy purchasing a home in a brand new community, buyers join a group of people who have at least a few things in common, including that everyone is new to everyone else.When people know each other, they look out for one another. Ask the sales office in the new-home community if neighborhood interest groups have been formed. Then build community by getting outside for walks, introducing yourself to others or stopping by neighbors’ homes — even during construction if some have already moved in.Exchange phone numbers and share what you’ve learned about the local area and yo...

Infosys: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

BANGALORE, India (AP) — BANGALORE, India (AP) — Infosys Limited (INFY) on Thursday reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of $744 million.On a per-share basis, the Bangalore, India-based company said it had net income of 18 cents.The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 19 cents per share.The business consulting services provider posted revenue of $4.55 billion in the period, which also missed Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.73 billion.For the year, the company reported profit of $2.98 billion, or 71 cents per share. Revenue was reported as $18.21 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on INFY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/INFYSource

Fastenal: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

WINONA, Minn. (AP) — WINONA, Minn. (AP) — Fastenal Co. (FAST) on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings of $295.1 million.On a per-share basis, the Winona, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 52 cents.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 49 cents per share.The maker of industrial and construction fasteners posted revenue of $1.86 billion in the period, which also topped Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.84 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on FAST at https://www.zacks.com/ap/FASTSource

First image of a black hole gets a makeover with AI

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The first image of a black hole captured four years ago revealed a fuzzy, fiery doughnut-shaped object. Now, researchers have used artificial intelligence to give that cosmic beauty shot a touch-up.The updated picture, published Thursday in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, keeps the original shape, but with a skinnier ring and a sharper resolution.The image released in 2019 gave a peek at the enormous black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, 53 million light-years from Earth. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. It was made using data gathered by a network of radio telescopes around the world, showing swirling light and gas. But even with many telescopes working together, gaps remained in the data. In the latest study, scientists relied on the same data and used machine learning to fill in the missing pieces. The resulting picture looks similar to the original, but with a thinner “doughnut” and a darker center, researchers said. “For me, it feels like we’re reall...

Un meteorito aterrizó en EE.UU. la semana pasada, y ahora hay una recompensa por encontrarlo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

(CNN) — Cazadores de meteoritos, prepárense para adentrarse en el bosque.Un museo de Maine ofrece US$ 25.000 por los restos de una roca espacial que surcó el cielo la semana pasada antes de aterrizar cerca de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y Canadá.La bola de fuego, visible a plena luz del día y que provocó un estampido sónico, fue detectada por radar, lo que permitió al Laboratorio de Investigación de Astromateriales y Ciencia de la Exploración (ARES, por sus siglas en inglés) de la NASA calcular el “campo esparcido” -donde podrían encontrarse fragmentos del meteoro- cerca de Calais, Maine.Darryl Pitt, jefe de la división de meteoritos del Museo de Minerales y Gemas de Maine, dijo que estaba deseoso de estudiar cualquier fragmento del meteorito, que podría contener información valiosa sobre el sistema solar. La recompensa de US$ 25.000 es para la primera pieza de meteorito encontrada que pese 2,2 libras (1 kilogramo) o más. Sin embargo, dijo que el museo estaría...

Wes Anderson, Ken Loach in Cannes festival competition

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

PARIS (AP) — New films by Wes Anderson, Wim Wenders and Ken Loach are in the lineup announced Thursday for the 76th Cannes Film Festival.Anderson’s sci-fi homage “Asteroid City,” Wenders’ “Perfect Days” and Loach’s “The Old Oak” are among 19 movies competing for the coveted Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize.The schedule for next month’s festival includes Cannes-favorite directors such as Italy’s Nanni Moretti (“Il Sol Dell’Avvenire”), Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (“Monster”) and Turkey’s Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“About Dry Grasses”).There are a record six female directors in the competition, including France’s Catherine Breillat with “L’été Dernier,” Austria’s Jessica Hausner with “Club Zero” and Italy’s Alice Rohrwacher with “La Chimera.”The seaside cinema extravaganza in the south of France opens May 16 with French director Maïwenn’s historical drama, “Jeanne du Barry,” starring Johnny Depp as King Louis XV.“Jeanne du Barry” has been billed as Depp’s comeback film ...

Ejecutivos de JPMorgan sabían sobre las denuncias de abuso sexual contra su entonces cliente Jeffery Epstein, según un documento judicial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

(CNN) — Un nuevo documento judicial sostiene que los ejecutivos de JPMorgan Chase estaban al tanto de acusaciones de abuso sexual y tráfico de menores contra su entonces cliente Jeffrey Epstein, varios años antes de que la institución financiera cortara los lazos con él.La última denuncia, parte de una demanda contra el banco presentada por el fiscal general de las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU. (USVI), agrega un cargo adicional que alega que JPMorgan obstruyó a las agencias federales de cumplimiento de la ley y fiscales que perseguían a Epstein.“La relación de JP Morgan con Epstein al permitir que su empresa de tráfico sexual tuviera acceso a grandes sumas de dinero en efectivo cada año fue mucho más allá de una relación bancaria normal (y legal)”, dice el documento, y agrega que los ejecutivos del banco también estaban al tanto de posibles operaciones sospechosas de retiros de efectivo.Epstein, de 66 años, fue cliente de la institución financiera hasta 2013. Fue encontrado muerto ...

Ukraine stands firm on Crimea, wants Russia out of all areas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:27 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s foreign minister said Thursday his country wouldn’t budge from its demand that Russia withdraw its forces from Crimea, as well as from other parts of Ukraine that Moscow illegally annexed more recently.Calling the war in Ukraine “a bleeding wound in the middle of Europe,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said all his country’s territory must be treated equally in dealing with the Kremlin after its full-scale invasion more than 13 months ago.“We are united by U.N. charter principles and the shared conviction that Crimea is Ukraine and it will return under Ukraine’s control,” said Kuleba, speaking by video link to a gathering in the Romanian capital, Bucharest. “Every time you hear anyone from any corner of the world saying that Crimea is somehow special and should not be returned to Ukraine, as any other part of our territory, you have to know one thing: Ukraine categorically disagrees with these statements,” he said at the Black Sea Security Conference.T...