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How Mecca is the lynchpin for Saudi Arabia’s hospitality and tourism drive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Billboards line the Umm Al Qura highway leading to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, displaying manicured public spaces, glass-fronted stores and sleek towers. It’s part of a $26 billion project to bring more Muslims to the holy city’s high-end hotels, residences, retailers and restaurants.As this year’s Hajj wraps up Friday, bringing the annual pilgrimage closer to its pre-pandemic size, Mecca is being rapidly pushed to an even grander scale. An ambitious plan to reshape the economy aims to bring in more than 30 million religious tourists a year by 2030, and for tourism to contribute up to $80 billion, or 10% of GDP, as the kingdom reduces its reliance on oil.The government is homing in on religious tourism because the demand already exists. Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s two most sacred cities, Mecca and Medina. Muslims around the world are required by their faith to perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives if they are able. Mill...

NFL suspends 3 players indefinitely for violating the gambling policy and a fourth gets 6 games

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cornerback Isaiah Rodgers Sr. lost the biggest bet of his life Thursday.He was waived by the Indianapolis Colts shortly after the NFL suspended Rodgers and two other players indefinitely for gambling on NFL games last season.The Colts also cut backup defensive end Rashod Berry after Berry and free agent defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor received the same punishment for the same infraction. None of the three can seek reinstatement until after next season.Tennessee Titans right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere received a six-game suspension for betting on non-NFL sports at the team’s facility, though he can participate in all of the team’s offseason and preseason activities including preseason games.For the Colts, the decision came swiftly and decisively — even for a potential starter like Rodgers.“We have made the following roster moves as a consequence of the determination that these players violated the league’s gambling policy,” Colts general manager Chris Bal...

Ring Of Fire pattern continues; storms "washing out" smoke

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

SEVERE WEATHER RAKED AREAS OF ILLINOIS to Chicago's south Thursday—and warm, humid , unstable air in the wake of near 90-degree temps support evening t-storms ThursdayWind damage has been extensive with a fast moving squall line downstate. Trees are down and the power is out thanks to t-storm wind gusts which have topped 60 and 70 mph at many locations from the Mississippi River across central Illinois including the Springfield, Decatur and Champaign areas as far north as sections of LaSalle, Ford and Livingston counties. Here's a photo of tree damage shared with us by Chris Nelson in in Lerna, Illinois:Photo courtesy: Chris NelsonNature put on quite a show THURSDAY--especially downstate--as a fast moving, arc-shaped squall line roared into the area. The storms produced wind gusts as high as 90 mph—powerhouse winds which downed trees and produced damage, knocking out power in many areas, from the Mississippi River across the state, from Missouri and across central and southern Illin...

French, UK watchdogs say hackers-for-hire are targeting law firms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

Mercenary hackers increasingly are targeting law firms in a bid to steal data that could tip the balance in legal cases, French and British authorities say, echoing an investigation that uncovered the phenomenon last year.In a pair of reports published over the past week, the cyber watchdog agencies of France and the United Kingdom cataloged an array of digital challenges faced by law firms, including threats posed by ransomware and malicious insiders. Both also highlighted the dangers posed by mercenary hackers hired by litigants to filch sensitive information from courtroom opponents.The London-based National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said in its report published on 22 June that it was increasingly seeing "hackers-for-hire" brought in "to gain the upper hand in business dealings or legal disputes."France’s cyber watchdog, known as ANSSI, said in its report released Tuesday (27 June) that “mercenaries with offensive cyber capacities” were increasingly targeting the legal sector....

EU leaders to debate Russia mutiny and pledge support for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

European Union leaders on Thursday (29 June) debated the repercussions of the aborted mutiny in Russia as they pledge further support for Ukraine in its war against Moscow's invasion.At a summit in Brussels, the leaders also talked with NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg and discuss what role the EU could play in Western commitments to bolster Ukraine's security.Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (pictured) said the leaders were certain to discuss Saturday's dramatic abandoned mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, even though it is not on the agenda of the summit or mentioned in drafts of its written conclusions."It will definitely come up," she told reporters in Brussels on the eve of the two-day summit, a regular gathering that will also discuss migration, relations with China and other issues.Like several other EU leaders, Kallas said the mutiny showed cracks appearing in Russia's leadership. She said she had seen different views on how the mutiny could affect the Ukraine war and the ri...

Homelessness Increases 10% In City Of Los Angeles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

Homelessness in the city of Los Angeles increased by 10% over this time last year with a total of 46,260 unhoused.The figures were reported by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) through its homeless count Thursday.“The homeless count results tell us what we already know — that we have a crisis on our streets, and it’s getting worse,” LAHSA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum said in a statement Thursday. “The important thing to take away from today is that for the first time, the city, county, and LAHSA are moving with urgency to house the people living on our streets.”The county of Los Angeles saw a 9% increase for a total of 75,518 individuals experiencing homelessness, compared to 69,144 counted in 2022.Multiple counties surrounding Los Angeles also saw increases in homelessness, such as San Bernardino with a 26% increase, San Diego with 22%, Kern with 22%, and Riverside with a 12% jump.“Today’s announcement confirms why we are in a state of emergen...

La madre de Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss comparte los últimos mensajes que intercambió con su hijo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

(CNN) — Hace seis meses que se suicidó Stephen “tWitch” Boss, el DJ de “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” y bailarín que saltó a la fama en “So You Think You Can Dance”. Ahora su madre ha hablado abiertamente sobre el proceso de asimilar la pérdida.En una entrevista con la revista People, Connie Boss Alexander habló sobre la pérdida de su hijo, que murió a los 40 años .“Cuando pienso en él, intento no pensar en cómo se fue de esta tierra”, dijo. “Esto no es el final completo. De ahí viene mi paz”.Boss Alexander tiene otros dos hijos, pero compartía un vínculo especial con Boss.“Había estado enferma, así que me mandó un mensaje para preguntarme cómo me encontraba”, dijo sobre su última comunicación.“Fue la última vez que hablamos. Hasta el punto de que Stephen puede haber estado en una depresión seria. No, no Stephen”, dijo Boss Alexander. “Él estaba muy en sintonía con analizarse y tratar de hacerse se...

Martinez helps power Dodgers past Rockies 14-3 after a severe weather delay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

DENVER (AP) — J.D. Martinez had four hits, including his 19th home run to highlight a six-run fourth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers came out swinging after the game’s start was delayed nearly two hours by severe weather, beating the Colorado Rockies 14-3 on Thursday night.Martinez continued his torrid batting at Coors Field, extending his hitting streak to 11 games at the park, where he is a career .444 hitter (28 for 63). Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman each had a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Mookie Betts and Jason Heyward both doubled twice, helping the Dodgers take the series 2-1 while establishing season highs in runs and hits in a game (18) after seeing the field swamped with rain and a coating of hail.“We were all saying we’re here, we might as well go for it,” Freeman said. “We were all ready to roll, and it was nice having a very young pitcher on the mound. He was ready to roll, too. The bats came out hot, J.D, Mookie, everyone. Everyone swung the bat really well...

Amputan la pierna a mujer que quedó atrapada en la cinta de un aeropuerto de Bangkok

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

(CNN) — A una mujer tailandesa de 57 años le tuvieron que amputar la pierna luego de que quedara atrapada en una cinta en movimiento en un aeropuerto de Bangkok el jueves, en un extraño accidente que las autoridades aún no han explicado completamente.El director del aeropuerto internacional de Don Mueang, Karant Thanakuljeerapat, explicó que el incidente se produjo sobre las 8.27 hora local (07:27 p.m. hora de Miami) en el pasillo sur de la terminal de pasajeros nacionales.En una rueda de prensa celebrada el jueves, Karant explicó que la mujer, que viajaba a la ciudad meridional de Nakhon Si Thammarat, sufrió un accidente “grave” al final de una pasarela móvil, después de que su pierna izquierda quedara atrapada en el extremo.Los médicos acudieron rápidamente y la mujer fue trasladada al hospital más cercano, aunque la gravedad de sus heridas obligó a amputarle la pierna hasta la rótula, explicó Karant.Luego fue trasladada al Hospital Internacional de Bumrungrad, u...

Stock market today: World shares are mostly higher after strong data lift Wall St benchmarks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:54 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mixed Friday in Asia after after strong data lifted benchmarks on Wall Street, while China reported slower factory activity in June due to weaker consumer spending and export demand. U.S. futures were little changed and oil prices ticked higher. Adding to signs that an economic rebound following the end of anti-virus controls is cooling, an official survey showed China’s factory activity contracted for another month in June as export orders decreased.Germany’s DAX gained 0.3% to 15,997.34 and the CAC 40 in Paris climbed 0.5% to 7,347.98. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2% to 7,485.72. The future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1% while that for the S&P 500 gained less than 0.1%. China’s economy revived following the end in December of pandemic controls on travel and business activity. But that revival has faded due to lackluster consumer spending at home and weak demand for exports following interest rate hikes in the United ...