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Opinion: U.S. tech firms must rethink their relationships with China

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

Microsoft’s disclosure over the summer of a Chinese espionage campaign that used forged credentials to break into U.S. government agencies and businesses is a reminder that China has sophisticated cyber capabilities and is willing to use them. But this is more than just having a product with vulnerable code.If companies have business operations in China — as many of America’s largest and most influential tech companies do — they may be unwitting accomplices to China’s surveillance operations, according to a new report published by the American Security Project. Yet this remains absent from discussions of risk in many technology firms’ public financial statements.It is a curious omission, because the risks are high: Chinese law requires that companies located there provide the Chinese Communist Party’s security services with access to source code and other sensitive data if demanded. Chinese law also requires that security researchers — including those working for t...

A California pilot has been indicted for allegedly threatening to shoot the captain if the flight was diverted

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

By DAVID KOENIG | AP Airlines WriterA pilot has been indicted for allegedly threatening to shoot the plane’s captain if the captain diverted the flight because of a passenger who needed medical attention.A grand jury in Utah issued the indictment against Jonathan J. Dunn on Oct. 18 over an incident that happened in August 2022, charging him with interference with a flight crew, according to federal court records.The Transportation Department’s inspector general’s office said in an email sent Tuesday that Dunn was the first officer, or co-pilot, on the flight and was authorized to carry a gun under a program run by the Transportation Security Administration.“After a disagreement about a potential flight diversion due to a passenger medical event, Dunn told the Captain they would be shot multiple times if the Captain diverted the flight,” the inspector general’s office said.The inspector general described Dunn as a California pilot. It did not identify the airline on which the inciden...

Northern California rice farmer and meteorologist accurately predicts winter weather

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

CHICO — Chico rice farmer and meteorologist Rob Doornbos kept getting asked what the winter weather was going to be like.He founded his company, Weather Tools, Inc., to let farmers and others know just that. Users can buy a subscription to the service at www.weathertools.org.“I was in a combine and entering the rice harvest, and I started thinking ‘what is it that growers ask me that I can’t answer?” Doornbos said.Doornbos Doornbos’ California Annual Precipitation report reveals how much precipitation California will get in the coming water year and has been correct every year for the last several years years. Doornbos joined forces with international weather company Baron Weather to distribute the CAP report, which comes out Nov. 1.“The Department of Water Resources and partners said we were still in a drought and then in March of 2023 we had three weeks of atmospheric rivers. It was a very wet spring and that was the most gratifying experience of my 30 years,” he said.Doornbo...

High mobile phone use may impact sperm count, study says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

By Sandee LaMotte | CNNMale sperm count has fallen by more than 50% globally in the last 50 years, leaving researchers scrambling to understand why. Could it be pollution, PFAS and other potential toxins in our food and water, an increase in obesity and chronic disease, or even the ever-present mobile phone?A new study explored the role of cell phones and found men between the ages of 18 and 22 who said they used their phones more than 20 times a day had a 21% higher risk for a low overall sperm count. The men also had a 30% higher risk for a low sperm concentration, a less important measure of sperm count in a milliliter of semen. The study did not specify whether the men called or texted or used their phones to do both.On the positive side, researchers found that as phone technology improved over the 13 years of the study, the impact on sperm count began to ease.“I am intrigued by the observation that the biggest effect was apparently seen with older 2G and 3G phones compared to m...

Krugman: U.S. autoworkers strike a blow for economic equality

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

It’s not officially over yet, but the United Auto Workers appear to have won a significant victory. The union, which began rolling strikes on Sept. 15, now has tentative agreements with Ford, Stellantis (which I still think of as Chrysler) and, finally, General Motors.All three agreements involve a roughly 25% wage increase over the next 4 1/2 years, plus other significant concessions. Autoworkers are a much smaller share of the workforce than they were in Detroit’s heyday, but they’re still a significant part of the economy.Furthermore, this apparent union victory follows on significant organized-labor wins in other industries in recent months, notably a big settlement with United Parcel Service, where the Teamsters represent more than 300,000 employees.And maybe, just maybe, union victories in 2023 will prove to be a milestone on the way back to a less unequal nation.Historical contextSome history you should know: Baby boomers like me grew up in a nation that was far less polarize...

Luxury vehicle seized in Vallejo arrest

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

Vallejo officers seized a reportedly stolen sports car earlier this month despite a suspect’s claims that it was “gifted to him by an unknown friend.”Police spotted a man in the yellow 2013 McLaren near the intersection of Amador Street and Nebraska Street on Oct. 19, according to a social media post by the Vallejo Police Department. The family who owned the car said they did not know the suspect and did not authorize him to drive their vehicle.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Police accuse man of committing lewd acts in Marin County middle school bathroom Crime and Public Safety | DA Pamela Price seeks removal of ‘overly zealous’ lawyer from San Leandro officer’s manslaughter case Crime and Public Safety | After split trial verdict, Oakland man gets 11 years, 8 months in 2019 fatal shooting Crime and Public Safety | East Bay man seeks release in murder of trick-or-treater on Halloween 2007 Cr...

Canada Goose: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — TORONTO (AP) — Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (GOOS) on Wednesday reported profit of $2.9 million in its fiscal second quarter.On a per-share basis, the Toronto-based company said it had profit of 3 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 12 cents per share.The high-end coat maker posted revenue of $209.6 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on GOOS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GOOSSource

OneSpaWorld: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited (OSW) on Wednesday reported third-quarter earnings of $23.4 million.On a per-share basis, the Nassau, Bahamas-based company said it had net income of 16 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 22 cents per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 17 cents per share.The company posted revenue of $216.3 million in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $209.5 million.For the current quarter ending in December, OneSpaWorld said it expects revenue in the range of $193 million to $198 million.The company expects full-year revenue in the range of $792 million to $797 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on O...

NiSource: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — NiSource Inc. (NI) on Wednesday reported profit of $85.1 million in its third quarter.The Merrillville, Indiana-based company said it had profit of 17 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 19 cents per share.The energy holding company posted revenue of $1.03 billion in the period.NiSource expects full-year earnings in the range of $1.54 to $1.60 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NISource

8 juvenile overdoses reported at one Loudoun Co. high school

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

At least eight opioid-related overdoses have been reported at a high school in Loudoun County, Virginia, in the last three weeks.The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the overdoses reported at Park View High School in Sterling where “four of the overdoses occurred in the school, and of these, three required the administration of Narcan, and two of those required CPR by school personnel.”All of the overdoses can be connected to fentanyl, often found in the form of a fake oxycodone pill which is blue, circular and may be stamped with “M30.” It is also referred to as a “Perc-30.”“LCPS is taking active steps to support our students, families and staff with fentanyl awareness and education, including training and supplying staff in each of our high schools with Naloxone for emergencies,” wrote Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Aaron Spence in a statement.Including the reported overdoses at Park View, the county has...