Charles Schwab Corp. stock rises Wednesday, still underperforms marketPoulin has game winner as Montreal Victoire tops Minnesota Frost 3-2 for 3rd straight winMOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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MENDHAM TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Mysterious drones are circling the skies over New Jersey and now the FBI is investigating. Residents in Morris and Somerset counties are looking for answers and the feds are asking the public's for help. Cellphone video taken last week shows drones hovering just above the trees over a neighborhood in Morristown. It was one of countless sightings by residents and law enforcement over the last two weeks. "You look up and you'll see them. I mean, they're everywhere, every night," Mendham Township resident Ryan Dawson said. Dawson said he sees the drones around dusk over his neighborhood. FBI officials say residents describe seeing clusters of drones and a possible fixed-wing aircraft. "My wife and I were driving. We saw one right up above us that was the size of our car. I mean, it's crazy," Dawson said. "They're very fast. They dart around. But no one can figure out why they're here," added Olivia DeMattio, also of Mendham Township. DeMattio, who owns Simple Coffee on West Main Street in Mendham, said the mystery has brewed up all sorts of theories. "The rumors have gone from Russian spies to people stalking Trump, to aliens, so nobody really knows what's going on, but it's definitely concerning," DeMattio said. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned drones over the nearby Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in Rockaway. Residents in Mendham and nearby towns are calling the whole thing unsettling. "It's suspicious to me, obviously. It's creepy. Everybody in town thinks it's creepy," Dawson said. It's especially creepy, they say, because the culprit and their motives are unknown. Local police say there is no known threat to public safety. The FBI is asking the public for videos of the drones, along with relevant information. Anyone with information can call the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI, or submit online here . Nick Caloway is a multi-skilled journalist who was thrilled to join the CBS News New York news team in August 2019. Since then, Nick has covered crime, politics, the pandemic and more across the Tri-State Area.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — What began as a childhood hobby more than six decades ago has led to what might be Africa's largest butterfly collection in a suburb of Kenya's capital. Steve Collins, 74, was born and raised in western Kenya. By the age of 5, he was fascinated by butterflies and started building a collection that has grown to more than 4.2 million, representing hundreds of species. “My parents encouraged us to look for butterflies after visiting the Congo and were gifted a trapping net by some friends," Collins said. “By the time I was 15 years old, I was already visiting other countries like Nigeria to study more about butterflies.” During his 20-year career as an agronomist, Collins dedicated his free time to research. He established the African Butterfly Research Institute in 1997. Now, running out of space and time, he hopes to hand it over to the next generation. On his 1.5 acres (0.6 hectare) of land, hundreds of indigenous trees and flowering bushes form a well-knit forest. Hundreds of butterflies dance from one flower to another, at times landing on Collins' hand. His collection is private, although it was initially open to the public when he ran it as an education center between 1998 and 2003. Collins has 1.2 million butterflies from across Africa delicately pinned in frames and stored in rows of shelves, with another 3 million in envelopes. “They need to be kept in dark spaces," he said. “The form of storage also ensures the dried butterflies are not eaten by other insects, parasites and predators. We also ensure we apply insecticides once a year to keep them safe.” Julian Bayliss, an ecologist specializing in Africa and a visiting professor at Oxford Brookes University, said he has collected butterflies for Collins over two decades. “There is a large part of that collection that is completely irreplaceable because a large part of Africa’s habitat is being destroyed,” Bayliss said. Africa is vulnerable to climate change, with periods of prolonged drought and serious flooding destroying forests and other butterfly habitats. Bayliss suggested digitizing the collection to make it accessible worldwide. Whoever takes it over "needs to be an institution that is well-founded, well-funded and secure,” he said. Scott Miller, an entomologist at the Smithsonian Institution, met Collins almost 30 years ago. He said such collections provide critical information that could show environmental changes over 60 years. “These physical specimens, you can actually keep going back to them to get new layers of information as you learn more or you get a different technology or you get different questions," he said. Collins is concerned that soon he will no longer be able to sustain his research. He said his most prized butterfly costs $8,000 — which he keeps from sight, concerned about possible theft — and hopes to sell the collection to an individual or research institution. The costs of running his institute are high. An annual budget posted in 2009 on the Lepidopterists' Society of Africa website was $200,000. Collins estimates that the specimens and other assets are worth $8 million. “This has been my hobby for decades, and I can’t put a price on what I have done so far. I’m currently seeking to ensure the species are in safe hands when I’m out of this world,” he said. Associated Press journalist Khaled Kazziha in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.
North America is home to some of the wealthiest cities in the world, but one of them stands head and shoulders above the rest. The city is known for its skyscrapers, busy streets, and has the reputation as a massive global financial hub. With a thriving economy and a history of attracting the world’s richest individuals, it’s no surprise the city has more billionaires and millionaires than anywhere else in the region. The city in question is New York City , home to 350,000 millionaires, 744 centi-millionaires (anyone worth 100 million or more), and 60 billionaires, according to Henley & Partner's Wealth Index . Its economy generated an impressive $1.286 trillion (£950 billion) in 2023, with Manhattan alone contributing $939 billion (£746 billion) - that's more than Poland’s entire GDP of $811.2 billion (£645 billion) in 2023. This cannot come as a surprise, considering that Wall Street alone hosts the world’s two largest stock exchanges, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. Beyond finance, New York thrives in industries like real estate, technology, media, and art. It’s a city where innovation meets tradition, and its influence extends globally. The diverse economy and opportunities have attracted people from all over the world, resulting in a population of over 8.2 million, speaking more than 800 languages. Known for its fast-paced lifestyle, New York is also home to some of the most expensive residential properties in the world. Fifth Avenue holds the title of the world’s most expensive shopping street, while Manhattan’s soaring rental prices show that the city appeals to both residents and businesses. But New York isn’t just a city for the wealthy elite; it’s also a place for culture and creative industries. From Broadway to world-class museums, the city offers a wealth of experiences that draw millions of tourists every year, who also contribute to its huge economy.Significant milestones in life and career of Jimmy CarterPoulin has game winner as Montreal Victoire tops Minnesota Frost 3-2 for 3rd straight win
As I write this, almost 200 nations are meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss how to address the perils of climate change. While there are early signs of positive movement, the 29th edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) seems to be struggling, especially on climate finance negotiations. Quite fittingly but worryingly, the meeting is happening amidst the backdrop of an expected record level of greenhouse gas emissions this year, contrary to the aims of the Paris Agreement. One approach that is creating a lot of buzz in accelerating climate action is through generative artificial intelligence (AI). Sans the hype, there are promising new applications that could massively boost climate solutions. Indeed, recent scientific literature suggests that AI could be a game changer, and sky’s the limit to its applications. For one, future climate projections are based on computer models that require enormous computing power. This is why only wealthy countries can afford to develop and run these models. With AI, it may be possible to accelerate the modeling process while increasing its precision. Hopefully, such AI-based modeling may also become more affordable for developing countries for them to run country-specific climate models to better guide their decision-makers. AI could expand climate mitigation action (reduction of greenhouse gases) in various ways. According to the MIT Technology Review, AI could improve predictions of energy demand, help discover new materials for more efficient energy storage, make transport routes more efficient, and make buildings more efficient, among other things. A global coalition of academics and AI experts has built the Transient Climate Evolution (TraCE) model at the planetary scale. This AI-powered model uses satellite images and ground data to track worldwide greenhouse gas emissions in ways never done before. AI applications on climate and disaster resilience are even more intriguing for vulnerable countries like ours. For example, Vonich and Hakim (2024) demonstrated that AI can predict the occurrence of heat waves around three weeks in advance in the western part of the United States. On the other hand, Almikaeel and co-workers (2024) have developed an AI flood model that can predict floods about 12 hours in advance. Lastly, Cano and others (2024) used AI to predict the onset of diarrheal disease in Nepal, Taiwan, and Vietnam using climatic data such as ENSO events. Their work could alert public health officials of an impending health crisis months in advance if further refined. Admittedly, many of the above applications are in their infant stage and need further fine-tuning and testing. But there is enough evidence to show that there is more to come. However, just like other technological marvels, there is no free lunch. One of AI’s most cited impacts is its contribution to the rise of greenhouse gases. For example, recent media reports have pointed out that Google emitted about 50 percent more greenhouse gases than in 2019 because of its increased use of AI. Microsoft had a similar, albeit a more minor, increase in emissions. A study by Columbia University warned that emissions from data centers could surpass that of the aviation industry shortly. These increased emissions will have to be balanced by AI’s potential to reduce emissions, as discussed above. Several ethical issues must also be resolved to prevent AI from being hijacked for nefarious purposes. These issues include protecting privacy and intellectual property, among others. There is also a considerable gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” nations in terms of using AI. These issues and more should be discussed within and among countries to ensure a more equitable sharing of AI benefits. As a highly vulnerable country, the Philippines must explore how AI could make us more resilient to climate hazards and long-term climate change. Our policymakers should increase their support to our scientists and developers so that we can optimize the use of AI toward this end. This should include capacity building for our research and development people to accelerate further the integration of AI into our climate action and disaster risk reduction programs. Partnerships between the government, the academe, and civil society with the private sector can unlock hitherto untapped resources. Whatever happens in COP29 in Baku and in successive COPs, the Philippines must exert all efforts to enhance our people’s coping capacity and resilience to climate change. AI could be one powerful tool in this quest. —————- Dr. Rodel Lasco is the executive director of The Oscar M. Lopez Center, a foundation devoted to discovering climate change adaptation solutions (http://www.omlopezcenter.org/). Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .Moment of silence for former President Jimmy Carter held before the Falcons-Commanders gameRevolutionary Single-Layer Film Eliminates Helmet Changes, Enhancing Driver Safety and Performance LAS VEGAS , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Racing Optics®, the global leader in high-performance tearoff visor film technology, proudly unveils its latest innovation: the Twilight Tearoff . This groundbreaking single-layer tearoff is engineered to elevate driver visibility during late-afternoon and early-evening races, providing superior glare reduction and contrast enhancement. The Twilight Tearoff redefines race-day performance by allowing drivers to maintain focus and adapt seamlessly to changing light conditions, eliminating the need for disruptive helmet changes. This innovation represents a significant leap forward in racing vision technology, delivering immediate and measurable benefits to professional drivers and teams alike. "The Twilight Tearoff solves one of racing's most persistent challenges—ensuring optimal visibility as lighting transitions rapidly during twilight races," said Chris Colton , Chief Applications Engineer at Racing Optics . "Our dedication to driver safety and performance drives every innovation, and the Twilight Tearoff is no exception." Transforming Racing at Twilight Racing teams are already embracing the Twilight Tearoff as a game-changing solution for twilight and low-light racing conditions. One racing team manager shared their experience: "In a recent twilight race, the Twilight Tearoff gave our drivers unmatched visual clarity. Transitioning from glaring sunlight to artificial lighting without pausing to change helmets was a decisive advantage that kept us competitive." By streamlining the driver experience, the Twilight Tearoff enhances safety and helps maintain uninterrupted race momentum—a critical edge in the high-stakes world of motorsports. Exclusive Debut at PRI Show 2024 The Twilight Tearoff will make its debut at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show , held December 12–14, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana . This highly anticipated event marks Racing Optics' 25th anniversary , celebrating a legacy of trailblazing innovations in motorsports safety and performance. Availability The Twilight Tearoff is now available for purchase at RacingOptics.com and through authorized dealers. Teams and drivers looking to gain a competitive edge are encouraged to explore this latest advancement. About Racing Optics For 25 years, Racing Optics has led the field in racing vision technology, delivering innovative solutions that enhance safety and performance. With a commitment to collaboration and innovation, the company continues to push the boundaries of motorsports protective equipment. For additional information, please visit RacingOptics.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/racing-optics-introduces-game-changing-twilight-tearoff-to-enhance-visibility-in-low-light-racing-conditions-302329546.html SOURCE Racing Optics, Inc.
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