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IMF deposits much-awaited $1.2B with Pakistan’s central bank under bailout, finance minister says

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s finance minister on Thursday said the International Monetary Fund deposited a much-awaited first installment of $1.2 billion with the country’s central bank under a recently signed bailout aimed at enabling the impoverished Islamic nation to avoid defaulting on its debt repayments.Minister Ishaq Dar in televised remarks said the remaining $1.8 billion would be received from the IMF over the next nine months. The funds will bolster the country’s foreign exchange reserves, which shrank to less than $4 billion in recent months, raising fears of a default. The country’s foreign exchange reserves are likely to rise to $14 billion this week, Dar said.The latest development came a day after the IMF said its executive board had approved an agreement to release a $3 billion loan to support Pakistan’s economic stabilization program. Wednesday’s announcement came less than two weeks after Pakistan and the IMF agreed to the plan following meetings with Prime Mi...

Just 5% of women’s players at Wimbledon have a female coach. The tennis tour wants to change that

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — On the day of the Wimbledon singles draw, Billie Jean King and other founding members of the women’s professional tennis tour gathered 5 miles away at a London hotel to mark the 50th anniversary of a meeting that led to the formation of today’s WTA.That long-ago moment was prompted by frustration at being paid far less in prize money than the sport’s male athletes. For all of the progress since in that area, there remains an aspect of tennis in which gender equity is nowhere near being achieved: coaching. Of the 128 women in the singles bracket at Wimbledon, which ends this weekend, just six work with a female coach — roughly 5%. All of the coaches for men were men.“Terrible. Extremely disappointing,” King, the International Tennis Hall of Fame member and rights advocate, told The Associated Press when asked about the scarcity of female coaches. “It’s about society, absolutely. You have to see it to be it. So if you don’t see a woman up there as a coach, it...

Presidents of South Korea and Poland hold talks on security, war in Ukraine and business cooperation

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The South Korean president began a visit to Poland for two days of talks and meetings on global security, the war in neighboring Ukraine, and developing bilateral business and defense ties. President Yoon Suk Yeol was greeted Thursday by his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, at the Presidential Palace, where they proceeded into talks. Yoon was also to meet with Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and speakers of both chambers of parliament.Duda has described it as a “very important visit” by a “very prominent guest.”Yoon came to Warsaw after attending a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he sought to deepen ties with the military alliance amid global security threats including Russia’s war on Ukraine and North Korea’s illicit nuclear program. Poland is in the process of buying some $17 billion worth of advanced military equipment from South Korea. The purchase is meant to upgrade Poland’s defense potential and fill in for the...

Google rolls out AI chatbot Bard to Europe and Brazil and adds more languages

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Google said Thursday that it’s rolling out its AI-powered chatbot Bard across Europe and in Brazil, expanding its availability to hundreds of millions more users. The company also said it’s adding more features to Bard as it scrambles to keep up with rival Microsoft — which uses OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT service in its Bing search engine — in the race to develop pivotal artificial intelligence for commercial use. Google launched Bard in February, but its planned rollout last month in the European Union was delayed as regulators checked whether the service complied with the 27-nation bloc’s strict privacy rules. The company said it has “proactively engaged with experts, policymakers and privacy regulators.” The Irish Data Protection Commission, Google’s main EU privacy watchdog, said it sent the internet search giant a detailed list of questions seeking more information. As a result, Google hit pause and “made a number of changes” ahea...

Powerball jackpot jumps to $875 million, third-largest ever

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – The Powerball jackpot continues to climb after no winner was chosen Wednesday. The total now stands at $875 million, the third-largest in the history of the game, after the world record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won last year and the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot won in 2016.No ticket matched all six numbers drawn Wednesday night - white balls 23, 35, 45, 66, 67 and red Powerball 20. The Power Play multiplier was 3X.Two tickets, sold in Florida and Indiana, matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. There were also 36 tickets that matched four of the five white balls and the red Powerball. Twenty-six of the tickets won $50,000 prizes. The other 10 tickets included the Power Play option for an additional $1 per play and multiplied the $50,000 prize by three to $150,000. If you win $1.2B Powerball, perhaps consider not taking cash The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been hit since mid-April when a ticket sold in Ohio matched the winning numbers for a $252.6...

Pflugerville is getting a new H-E-B as supermarket chain begins construction

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — H-E-B said it has officially begun construction Wednesday on a new store in Pflugerville.The 127,000-square-foot store is expected to open in the fall of 2024, according to H-E-B. It will be located at Pflugerville Parkway and State Highway 130.When the store is completed, it will become the third H-E-B store in Pflugerville, according to H-E-B.“We are thrilled to start construction of our third store in Pflugerville, a growing community we’ve proudly been a part of for 35 years,” said Cathy Harm, H-E-B Senior Vice President Central Texas. “We look forward to serving our dedicated customers in this part of Travis County with a new store that offers a wide assortment of quality products, innovative services, and the best of what H-E-B has to offer.”

Elite Repeat, St. Paul consignment boutique, closing after almost 50 years

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

When Sharon Skarda heard the news, she texted her daughter.“Elite Repeat is closing,” she wrote. “Where am I going to get my clothes?”It’s a fashion emergency for people all around the Twin Cities who have shopped and sold at this consignment boutique that has been in business on the corner of Randolph and Hamline avenues in St. Paul since 1975.But it’s not only about losing the chance at getting good deals or making some cash for well-made clothes, accessories, jewelry and shoes.“It’s so much more than a consignment store,” Skarda said. “It’s a community.”‘Happy Birthday to Me’On a recent weekday afternoon, several shoppers were browsing the racks at the boutique and others waited in line to check out.Why close a business that appears to be bustling, during a time when thrift is trendy and inflation is an issue?In this case, it’s personal.Missy Auran, the current owner of Elite Repeat and a lo...

Small Bites: At Roseville’s Mito, flavor comes second to imperfect theatrics

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

At a restaurant like Mito, there’s a catch.The new Latin fusion restaurant opened in May in Roseville, and its transformation — from the former Grumpy’s — is stunning. Colorful pulsating lights, neon signs, a live sax player and… is that a table magician?Mito is a restaurant built around an immersive atmosphere, a theatrical experience.But here’s the catch: This introduces hundreds — thousands! — of tiny details that might not have otherwise existed. And successfully pulling off the experience means nailing each and every one.This is tremendously difficult to accomplish. Managers and servers are now also stage directors and performers. The high menu prices aren’t just food costs; they’re admission tickets.The food and drinks during a recent dinner at Mito were, by and large, pretty good. But the theatrical elements were a little rough around the edges, which made the overall experience feel less satisfying than it might’ve had the theatricality not been thrown into the mix at all.We...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: How Long Can You Use the "I'm New" Excuse at Work?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Rebecca, and it's about time. Here's her email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I'm having an issue with someone I work with and I'm looking for advice. How long does someone get to use the "I'm new" excuse when they can't get things done at the office. I work in a lawyer's office with several other paralegals, and there is ALWAYS a lot of work to be done...and most of it is very important and timely. However, I work with a paralegal who we'll call Kelly, who continually tries to push work off onto myself and other coworkers, all while using the excuse that she's new. But the fact is, she's not new. She's worked in our office for almost two years now. She lets things slip through the cracks, and we end up having to clean up her mess. Is it fair for me to tell the bosses that she is using the "I'm new" excuse? Or would you still consider two years a...

Pedestrian hospitalized after crash on Central Ave. in Colonie

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:37:41 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Colonie Police responded to a crash that left one pedestrian injured Wednesday night around 9:27 on Central Avenue (State Route 5) and California Avenue. Police say the pedestrian, a 47-year-old man from Georgia, was unconscious in the roadway with the driver of the vehicle nearby. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say the pedestrian was not on the crosswalk and was wearing dark clothing at the time of the cash. He was taken by Colonie EMS to Albany Medical Center with several bone fractures and a severe head laceration. The driver immediately pulled over and contacted 9-1-1 after the crash. The Fuller Road Fire Department helped police with road closures at the scene. Vigil held for 19-year-old Rutland police officer Police say both east and westbound lanes on Central Avenue were shut down between Fuller Road and Madison Avenue for approximately one hour. Law enforcement says neither speed...