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China to the West: Don’t tell us what to do on Russia

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

Western powers cannot tell Beijing what to do about Russia over its war in Ukraine, China’s ambassador to Russia said Friday.“It was not the Chinese side that created the Ukrainian crisis, the [People’s Republic of China] is not a party to it and has not provided weapons to any of the parties to the conflict,” Zhang Hanhui said in an interview with Russian daily Izvestia.“The West is not in a position to give instructions to China, and even more so does not have the authority to throw responsibility on it,” Zhang added.In spite of being one of Moscow’s top allies, China has sought to position itself as a middleman between Russia and Ukraine, putting forward a 12-point peace plan in February.But there have been rising concerns that China might be supplying weapons to Russia. Last month, POLITICO reported that Chinese companies, including one connected to the government in Beijing, had sent Russian entities 1,000 assault rifles, drone par...

French digital minister: ChatGPT doesn’t respect privacy laws

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

PARIS — France’s Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he thinks artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT doesn’t respect privacy laws, but argued against banning it, in an interview with La Tribune. “The Italian [data protection authority] first wonders whether ChatGPT complies with the GDPR. In my opinion, it does not. OpenAI [the company behind the chatbot] will probably have to make adjustments to its product, because the data processing for users is problematic,” he said. Asked whether France should follow the Italian regulator’s example and block the platform from operating, the minister replied: “No.” Barring the chatbot from offering services in France would not be up to the French government but rather up to data protection authority CNIL to decide. In Italy, ChatGPT was ordered last week by the privacy regulator to temporarily stop processing Italian users’ personal data over alleged violations of the General Da...

Mass. SNAP benefits to increase for three months

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

The amount of money families receive in SNAP benefits goes back up on Friday. The state is adding supplemental funds to EBT cards for families to buy food. This comes after the extra federal payments during the pandemic ended last month. The extra state payments will last for three months.

US Army apologizes for ‘wrong room raid’ at Boston hotel

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

The U.S. Army is apologizing for a “wrong room raid” at a Boston hotel Tuesday night. Officials say agents with the Boston FBI division helped the Department of Defense in a training exercise at the Revere Hotel. However, they went to the wrong room on the 15th floor. According to 7NEWS sources, the person who was mistakenly detained is a pilot for Delta Air Lines.“We would like to extend our deepest apology to the individual who was affected by the training exercise,” said Lt. Col. Mike Burns.The person who was mistakenly detained was released after about an hour in custody.

Cade Horton, the Chicago Cubs’ 2022 first-round pick, is set to begin his first pro season in his ‘crazy’ journey

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

The difference one year can make is not lost on right-hander Cade Horton.At this point last season, Horton had pitched in two games for the University of Oklahoma in his first outings since missing his freshman season because of Tommy John surgery. Those appearances were limited to an inning or less, and he didn’t make his first start until mid-April.As Horton stood near the Chicago Cubs practice fields at their complex in Mesa, Ariz., during the final stretch before minor-league camp ended for the spring, even he was amazed at the path his career has taken.“I mean, actually it is crazy,” Horton told the Tribune. “I’m blessed. The people around me that have helped me, it’s a huge thank you to them and all the teammates that have been there. It’s awesome.Horton, 21, is beginning the season at Low-A Myrtle Beach. The 2022 first-round pick will make his professional debut Saturday. Horton, newly ranked by MLB.com as the No. 98 prospect in baseb...

Can the Chicago Bulls balance rest — and rhythm — in their final two regular-season games?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

With their play-in position secured as the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls enter the final weekend of the regular season with the goal of balancing rest and preparation.After losing to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the Bulls are set to travel to face the ninth seed Wednesday.Before that single-elimination game, the Bulls will face the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday night and then play host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.Coach Billy Donovan said veteran stars DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević likely will sit out Friday. But Donovan aims to play the entirety of the roster for at least part of Sunday’s game to get the Bulls into rhythm for the play-in tournament.“My feeling would be that Zach, DeMar, Vooch, those guys who have logged a lot of minutes would sit down with medical to determine the game against Dallas,” Donovan said.“My feeling is they have to play some against Detroit, unless someone’s got an i...

Alleged impaired driver charged after crashing suspected stolen car in Mississauga

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

A female driver is in custody after she crashed the vehicle she was driving into a light pole on Saturday morning.Peel police say the driver was seen running away from the scene at Dundas Street West and Glen Erin Drive around 6 a.m. and was arrested a short time later.The vehicle she was driving was allegedly stolen and she is facing impaired driving charges.No injuries were reported.Lanes at the intersection have been reduced as crews clean up the area.

1 dead, 1 seriously injured in 2-vehicle crash in Brampton

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

One person has died and another was seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash in Brampton in the early hours of Saturday morning.Ontario Provincial Police say the two vehicles collided in the southbound lanes of Highway 410 near Steeles Avenue around 1 a.m.Both victims were travelling in the same vehicle. The passenger died of their injuries and the driver is in critical condition in hospital.No one in the second vehicle was seriously hurt.The eastbound Steeles ramp on the southbound 410 is closed for the investigation.

Police: Dissidents may try attacks as N. Ireland marks peace

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Police have warned that armed dissident groups are planning violent attacks over the Easter holiday weekend as Northern Ireland marks 25 years since the peace accord that ended three decades of bloodshed.U.S. President Joe Biden is due to visit Belfast next week as Northern Ireland commemorates the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998. The U.S.-brokered deal got Irish republican and British loyalist paramilitary groups to lay down their arms and setup a power-sharing government for Northern Ireland.The peace accord largely ended 30 years of violence, known as “the Troubles,” in which 3,600 people died, but small splinter groups mount occasional gun or bomb attacks on the security forces.The Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said police had received intelligence about planned violence around a parade in Londonderry on Easter Monday commemorating the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland.He said th...

5 tax tips for older adults

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:52:53 GMT

More than half of older taxpayers (57%) are worried they’ll have to pay more taxes this year because of the 5.9% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment in 2022, according to a January survey by The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan seniors group.Taxes for the over-65 set can feel more complicated for a variety of reasons: There are often multiple streams of income, some retirees still work part time, and people may be managing required minimum distributions from retirement accounts.“It can happen that people have more income in their later life than they did when they were working,” says Barbara O’Neill, a certified financial planner in Ocala, Florida, and the author of “Flipping a Switch : Your Guide to Happiness and Financial Security in Later Life.”For older adults, here are some items to keep in mind this tax season:1. MEDICARE THRESHOLDS MATTERYour income can affect your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums in the future because of the income-related monthly adjustment am...