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President Tokayev Strengthens Investment Council Powers to Boost Economic Growth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a landmark decree on Dec. 4 regarding measures to increase the efficiency of attracting investment into Kazakhstan’s economy and accelerating economic growth, reported the Akorda press service. The decree outlines a comprehensive plan to empower the Investment Promotion Council (Investment Headquarters) with unprecedented authority.As stipulated in the decree, the Investment Promotion Council will have the power to make binding decisions on both central and local government bodies and entities in the quasi-public sector. Additionally, the Council is empowered to develop temporary regulatory legal acts with the force of law, supplementing the government’s efforts to create a conducive environment for investment.According to Kazinform, this decree is a continuation of President Tokayev’s economic policy, as outlined in his state-of-the-nation address in September. This policy focuses on economic reforms, diversification, transparent ta...

Leaked Amazon memo shows efforts to shape public opinion on warehouses, critics say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

Inland Empire lawmakers and a warehouse worker advocacy group are condemning what the group says is a leaked memo that details Amazon’s efforts to buy influence through charitable donations and oppose legislation deemed hostile to the global retailer’s interests.The eight-page memo also reveals Amazon’s plans to no longer donate to the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum over a display of artwork showing an Amazon facility ablaze.And it describes Perris’ mayor as “an influential elected leader that we have cultivated” while noting reluctance by some local politicians to accept Amazon’s campaign donations.The Ontario-based Warehouse Worker Resource Center, which seeks to improve warehouse working conditions, released the memo, which it says came from a source it can’t publicly reveal. The Southern California News Group was unable to independently confirm the memo’s authenticity. View this document on Scribd“In Amazon’s leaked memo, they deta...

Bridge: Dec. 6, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

Cy the Cynic is a confirmed bachelor. He says the only drawback to living single is that it’s always his turn to do the dishes.Cy also complains that when he plays in my club’s penny game, he gets no help on defense; his partners always do the wrong thing.As today’s West, Cy led the jack of spades against 3NT. East took the ace and returned the queen, and South played low. When East next led the queen of diamonds, South won in dummy and let the queen of clubs ride. He ended with an overtrick.DISCARD“I’m getting too old to play this game alone,” Cy growled to me. “My partner should play the queen on the first spade. Declarer would have to take his king; for all he knew, I’d led from A-J-10-9-x. Then when he led the queen of clubs, I could duck, and on the next club partner could discard his ace of spades.”Cy was asking a lot of his partner, which isn’t unusual for Cy. I wonder what Cy would have said if East played the queen...

As U.S.-Funded Wars Rage in Israel and Ukraine, Pentagon Watchdog Warns of Military Failures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

As calls grow in Congress to condition aid to Israel and halt funding to Ukraine altogether, the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General issued a report that details widespread failures in the Pentagon’s operations. In a semiannual report to Congress, the watchdog found a breakdown in the process to provide care for sexual assault survivors, damaged artillery earmarked for Ukraine, and continued failures to monitor the Defense Department’s single most expensive program, the scandal-ridden F-35 fighter jet. Taken together, the inspector general’s findings paint a picture of a sprawling military-industrial complex that, while providing billions in aid to foreign militaries, has failed to solve long-standing issues that result in extreme levels of taxpayer waste. “While we constantly hear from DOD officials and politicians backed by major weapons manufacturers that an ever increasing military budget is essential for our national security, the inspector general’s office...

Iran says it sent a capsule capable of carrying animals into orbit as it prepares for human missions

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran said Wednesday it sent a capsule into orbit capable of carrying animals as it prepares for human missions in coming years. A report by the official IRNA news agency quoted Telecommunications Minister Isa Zarepour as saying the capsule was launched 130 kilometers (80 miles) into orbit. Zarepour said the launch of the 500-kilogram (1,000-pound) capsule is aimed at sending Iranian astronauts to space in coming years. He did not say if any animals were in the capsule.He told state TV that Iran plans to send astronauts into space by 2029 after further tests involving animals. State TV showed footage of a rocket named Salman carrying the capsule.Iran occasionally announces successful launches of satellites and other space crafts. In September, Iran said it sent a data-collecting satellite into space. In 2013, Iran said it sent a monkey into space and returned it successfully.Reports said the country’s Defense Ministry built and launched the Salman rocket while the...

Arsenal’s slew of late winners highlights resilience and boosts belief in Premier League title bid

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

They say little should be read into the Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser to the English soccer season.Maybe this year is an exception.Back in early August, Arsenal scored an equalizer through Leandro Trossard in the 101st minute in regulation time and went on to beat Manchester City in a penalty shootout at Wembley Stadium.Aside from winning a piece of silverware, it was hailed by Arsenal’s players as a statement victory — despite the uncompetitive nature of the fixture.“The mental block is gone,” goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said that day, a reference to his team stumbling late in last season’s Premier League title race and finishing behind City.Well, maybe they are right.And that’s not just because Arsenal woke up Wednesday to a five-point lead in the Premier League. It’s because of how the team has got there.Scoring late goals — a trait demonstrating resilience and character — has become the norm for Arsenal. Dare it be said, it’s a sign of a champion team.Just in th...

Biden, White House support Indigenous lacrosse team for 2028 Olympics

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

President Joe Biden is pushing to allow the Indigenous nation that invented lacrosse to play under its own flag when the sport returns to the Olympics in 2028.Biden’s position, being announced Wednesday at the White House Tribal Nations Summit, is a request for the International Olympic Committee to allow the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete as its own team at the Los Angeles Games.That would require the IOC to make an exception to a rule that permits teams playing only as part of an official national Olympic committee to compete in the Olympics. The Haudenosaunee have competed as their own team at a number of international events since 1990.“We’re hopeful the IOC will see it our way, as well,” Tom Perez, the White House senior adviser and director of intergovernmental affairs, told The Associated Press. “If we’re successful, it won’t simply be the flag of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that marches in the Olympics, it will be the flag of Indigenous pe...

Offensive struggles mount for the Patriots, Giants and Jets

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

Inside the Numbers dives into NFL statistics, streaks and trends each week. For more Inside the Numbers, head here.___It’s been more than a decade since the NFL featured three offenses as challenged as the ones for the New England Patriots, New York Jets and New York Giants.Blame it on quarterback injuries, bad rosters, poor coaching and downright bad play, those three teams rank at the bottom of the NFL in scoring.The Jets rank 30th at 14.3 points per game, followed by the Giants at 13.3 and the Patriots and 12.3 — marking the first time since 2011 that three teams scored fewer than 15 points per game in the first 12 contests.Coach Bill Belichick’s Patriots are easily the worst of the three offenses as the lowest scoring team through 12 games since the 2011 Rams were at 11.7.New England has been shut out twice at home for the first time ever after losing 6-0 to the Chargers last week and is the first team since 1938 to lose three straight games while allowing 10 or fewe...

Air Force identifies the 8 US crew lost in Osprey crash in Japan and recovers 6 bodies

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

In this photo provided by Japan Coast Guard, debris believed to be from a U.S. military Osprey aircraft is seen off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A crew member who was recovered from the ocean after a U.S. military Osprey aircraft carrying six people crashed Wednesday off southern Japan has been pronounced dead, coast guard officials said. (Japan Coast Guard via AP) In this photo provided by Japan Coast Guard, debris believed to be from a U.S. military Osprey aircraft is seen off the coast of Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023. A crew member who was recovered from the ocean after a U.S. military Osprey aircraft carrying six people crashed Wednesday off southern Japan...

Few wet flakes possible but no snow accumulation expected for DC region Wednesday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:04 GMT

There’s been talk about snow for the D.C. region Tuesday night into Wednesday, but it never came to be.Instead, there will be a few rain showers early Wednesday morning with a mixture of a few wet snowflakes. 7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson said that the mix will come to an end around sunrise.“We are going to see skies clear we’re going to turn partly sunny” later on in the day “with temperatures pushing into the mid-40s,” she said.Those living in the immediate D.C. region will still have to bundle up as wind chills will be in the 30s throughout most of the day. It’ll be worse in the evening as temperatures could reach the low 30s.7News First Alert Meteorologist Brian van de Graaff said that “areas of frost are possible.”Temperatures will improve over the next few days, starting with mostly cloudy conditions reaching the upper 40s on Thursday. Friday will have partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mi...