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Japan’s tech investor SoftBank trims losses and promises offensive turnaround

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. continued to rack up losses for the fiscal first quarter as technology investments soured amid a market downturn.But SoftBank’s April-June red ink, at 477.6 billion yen ($3.4 billion), was smaller than a year ago, when losses totaled 3.16 trillion yen ($22 billion), the Tokyo-based company said Tuesday.Losses came from what SoftBank calls its Vision Funds, as well as from other investments including those in telecommunications in Japan.Chief Financial Officer Yoshimitsu Goto struck an upbeat tone, stressing that the environment for technology issues was improving.“We must pay attention to the conditions and adjust stepping on the gas pedal, as well as on the brakes on investments accordingly,” he told reporters.SoftBank Vision Fund 1 marked a $12.4 billion gain since its inception, while SoftBank Vision Fund 2, set up after the first fund, was still performing at a loss of $18.6 billion, according to SoftBank.Over the lat...

Stay inside as dangerous stormy weather lashes northern Europe, officials say. 2 people have died

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian authorities warned Tuesday to prepare for “extremely heavy rainfall” in the area after Storm Hans caused two deaths, ripped off roofs and upended summertime life in northern Europe.Strong winds continued to batter the region along with rains, causing a lengthy list of disruptions in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia and Latvia. Ferries were canceled, flights were delays, roads and streets were flooded, trees were uprooted, people were injured by falling branches and thousands remained without electricity Tuesday. In Oslo, officials urged people to work from home Tuesday. On its website, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate warned of “extremely heavy rainfall” in southern Norway, adding “unnecessary traffic should be avoided.”“This is a very serious situation that can lead to extensive consequences and damages. There will be extensive flooding, erosion damage and flood damages to buildings and infrastructure,” it...

Stock market today: Global markets lower ahead of US inflation update

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets and Wall Street futures declined Tuesday after Chinese exports fell ahead of this week’s U.S. inflation update, which might influence Federal Reserve plans for possible interest rate hikes.London, Shanghai, Paris and Hong Kong retreated. Tokyo advanced. Oil prices lost more than $1 per barrel.On Monday, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index rallied 0.9%, recovering one-third of a loss from last week.“U.S. stocks started the week in better form,” said ING analysts in a report. “It is not clear that this is going to last, though.”In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.4% to 7,528.15. The CAC 40 in Paris gave up 0.4% to 7,288.73, and the DAX in Frankfurt shed 0.5% 15,884.94.On Wall Street, the S&P 500 future was off 0.3%, and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.2%.The Dow rose 1.2% and the Nasdaq composite added 0.6% on Monday.In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.2% to 3,260.61 after Chinese expor...

US inflation has steadily cooled. Getting it down to the Fed’s target rate will be the toughest mile

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the past year, inflation in the United States has tumbled from 9% all the way to 3%, softening most of the price pressures that have gripped the nation for more than two years.Now comes the hard part. Squeezing out the last bit of excess inflation and reducing it to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate is expected to be a much harder and slower grind. A measure called “core” inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, is even higher than overall inflation. It, too, seems likely to slow only gradually. The Fed pays particular attention to core prices as a signal of where inflation might be headed. In June, core prices were up 4.1% from a year earlier, according to the Fed’s preferred gauge. “We see some challenges in getting that all the way back to 2% quickly,” said Michael Hanson, senior global economist at J.P. Morgan. The stickiness of inflation could endanger the possibility that the Fed will achieve a rare “soft landing” —...

Scientists make it official: July was the hottest month on record by far

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

Now that July's sizzling numbers are all in, the European climate monitoring organization made it official: July 2023 was Earth's hottest month on record by a wide margin.July's global average temperature of 16.95 degrees Celsius (62.51 degrees Fahrenheit) was a third of a degree Celsius (six tenths of a degree Fahrenheit) higher than the previous record set in 2019, Copernicus Climate Change Service, a division of the European Union's space program, announced Tuesday. Normally global temperature records are broken by hundredths or a tenth of a degree, so this margin is unusual.“These records have dire consequences for both people and the planet exposed to ever more frequent and intense extreme events," said Copernicus deputy director Samantha Burgess. There have been deadly heat waves in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, Europe and Asia. Scientific quick studies put the blame on human-caused climate change from the burning ...

Kara Bacon, Hannah Price named sports women of the year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Kara Bacon, a senior from Warrensburg High School, and Hannah Price, a senior from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received Grand honors at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Event held at the GE Theatre at Proctors on Monday evening, August 7, 2023. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Kara was named the Grand Scholastic Woman of the Year and Hannah was named the Grand Collegiate Woman of the Year. The event also honored 11 other female student-athletes from the region, who made up the 2023 Class of the Capital District Sports Women of the Year. CDSWOY honors excellence in academics, athletics, and community service.The virtual guest speaker was ESPN personality Jessica Mendoza, an Olympic Gold Medalist. Entertainment was provided by members of the Empire State Youth Orchestra.Academically, Kara is ranked #3 in her class with a 97.5 average. She ha...

Yankees to honor Columbia baseball team

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

EAST GREENBUSH, NY (NEWS10) -- This past season was a special one for the Columbia baseball team, winning the Class A state championship. Their last game might have been in June, but the celebration isn't done yet. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The New York Yankees will celebrate the Blue Devils at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, August 22nd with a special pregame ceremony before they host the Washington Nationals. If you buy the tickets through Columbia's link here, you can get up to 50% savings. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit the Columbia baseball booster club.A transportation deal is also be offered through Yankee Trails.

Peer review report on Greece now online

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

Eurostat is pleased to announce that another peer review report within the third round of European Statistical System (ESS) peer reviews — the peer review report on Greece — is now publicly available on Eurostat’s dedicated web page and on the web page of the Hellenic Statistical Authority.The report was produced following the peer review visit to Greece by a dedicated team of four experts, including one from Eurostat. The visit took place from 17 to 21 October 2022 in a face-to-face format.The peer reviews of national statistical systems are conducted by external experts (from both inside and outside the ESS) and follow the same methodology. This includes the completion of self-assessment questionnaires by several statistical authorities followed by a peer review visit. The results are a peer review report containing expert recommendations for improvement, and an action plan to address these recommendations that is developed by the national statistical institute of the reviewed cou...

Horoscopes Aug. 8, 2023: Dustin Hoffman, don’t fear the unknown

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Casey Cott, 31; Countess Vaughn, 45; Joely Collins, 51; Dustin Hoffman, 86.Happy Birthday: Trust yourself, and you won’t be disappointed. Build a solid base and clear any influences that are inconsistent or causing doubt. Leave nothing to chance and oversee everything that has meaning to you. Don’t fear the unknown; ask questions and map out a course to help you achieve your dreams. Protect your heart, health and happiness from anyone trying to lure you down the wrong path. Your numbers are 9, 16, 22, 27, 32, 35, 49.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do something that will rejuvenate you or help you build confidence. Practice makes perfect, and once you choose a course of action, you will find it easier to look forward instead of living in the past. Recognize your skills and add to your qualifications. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep your eye on the ball and the money in your wallet. Overreaction or poor behavior will cost you. Use your intell...

Ask Amy: My husband disappears, and I’m left holding the dogs

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband and I have been very happily married for more than 30 years. Our three children are grown and gone, and we are enjoying our empty nest.We have two well-behaved dogs that we adore, and we share responsibility for the dogs’ care, much as we shared our parenting duties.However, my husband has taken up a new hobby (birdwatching), which means that he is gone on excursions with various groups on many weekends.I have no problem at all with his being gone (leaving early Saturday, returning Sunday evening), but there is an assumption now that I will stay at home and take care of the dogs whenever he wants to leave – often at the last minute.But guess what? Sometimes I want to fly away from home, too – and I’m stuck here with two furry goofballs.We are both still working, and our weekends are valuable.Can you give us some ideas for how to handle this? Caring for CaninesDear Caring: With two dogs, spontaneous getaways are pretty much out of the question, but my strongest s...