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Nissan reports surging profit amid strong sales, easing chip crunch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automaker Nissan reported Thursday a seven-fold surge in January-March profit and forecast strong sales for this fiscal year riding on the popularity of its new model offerings.Nissan Motor Co.’s net profit for the fiscal fourth quarter totaled 106.9 billion yen ($798 million), up dramatically from 14.2 billion yen a year ago.Quarterly sales jumped 36% to 3.097 trillion yen ($23 billion), amid an easing of the supply shortage of computer chips and other parts, which had been caused by social restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.Chief Executive Makoto Uchida told reporters the automaker was preparing all-solid-state batteries for its electric models, as the world makes a rapid shift toward green zero-emissions technology.He acknowledged serious challenges remained but promised to boost Nissan’s profitability, especially in key markets like China.A midterm plan will be outlined later this year “to transform Nissan into a truly healthy and resilient co...

ASEAN leader: No progress in ending Myanmar’s deadly civil strife

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo somberly acknowledged to fellow Southeast Asian leaders Thursday that no progress has been made to end the civil strife gripping Myanmar and renewed a call for an end to the violence, including a recent airstrike a rights group called an “apparent war crime.”“I have to be honest,” Widodo told fellow leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the final day of their two-day summit in the Indonesian harbor town of Labuan Bajo. “There has been no significant progress in the implementation of the five-point consensus.”ASEAN’s chairperson this year, Widodo was referring to a peace plan forged by the 10-nation bloc with Myanmar’s top general in 2021 that called for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties to be brokered through an ASEAN special envoy.Myanmar’s military-led government refused to take steps to enforce the plan, prompting ASEAN leaders to exclude the co...

Shooting at Mercedes factory in Germany leaves 1 dead, 1 wounded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A man opened fire at a Mercedes-Benz factory in southwestern Germany on Thursday, leaving one person dead and another seriously wounded, authorities said.The shooting occurred in Sindelfingen, a city near Stuttgart. The suspect, a 53-year-old man, was taken into custody, a spokesman for the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office said.Police received the first emergency calls around 7:45 a.m. (0545 GMT; 1:45 a.m. EDT) on Thursday morning, a police spokeswoman told the news agency dpa.Police tweeted that there was no further danger to employees at the plant.A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz confirmed that an incident had occurred at its Sindelfingen factory. Information about the suspect’s motive was not immediately available.The sprawling Sindelfingen works employ around 35,000 workers producing E-Class and S-Class luxury sedans and CLS and GLC coupes, according to the company’s website. It also houses planning, purchasing and development and design departments.The As...

Leader of pro-independence party in Wales quits after report slams toxic culture

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The leader of Wales’ pro-independence political party has resigned after an inquiry found it was riddled with bullying and misogyny.Adam Price said he was stepping down as leader of Plaid Cymru after a meeting of the party executive late Wednesday.A report published last week concluded the party had “failed to implement a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment.” It said evidence from an anonymous staff survey and elected members found “cases of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination” and urged the party to “detoxify.”Liz Saville Roberts, the party’s leader in the U.K. Parliament, said Thursday that Price had become “a distraction” and had to go so that the party could “move ahead.”Plaid Cymru, whose name means Party of Wales, is the third-largest group in Wales’ semiautonomous parliament and also has three seats in the U.K. Parliament in London.The nationalist party hopes one day to lead Wales out of the United Kingdom, though support for Welsh inde...

Jacklyn Zeman, 45-year veteran of 'General Hospital', dies at 70

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

Jacklyn Zeman, who played Bobbie Spencer for 45 years on ABC’s “General Hospital” has died at 70.Zeman died after a short battle with cancer, her family confirmed Wednesday. News of her death was first announced by the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini.“I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman,” he wrote on Twitter. “Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and a true professional that brought so much positive energy with her work.”FILE - Jacklyn Zeman, who portrays nurse Bobbie Spencer on ABC's "General Hospital," attends to a patient in an ambulance during a taping of 'GH's' first prime-time special in Los Angeles, on Nov. 20, 1996. Zeman, who played the character for 45 years on the ABC soap opera, has died at 70. Zeman died after a short battle with cancer, her family confirmed Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Sterner, File)ABC Entertainment and “General Hospital” also released a statement stating,...

Another 80° day Thursday; rain chances surge Friday. NORTHERN LIGHTS potential over an expanded area of North America

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

Wednesday was another GORGEOUS DAY—and temps away from Lake Michigan responded big time, reaching the upper 70s and low 80s. While temps hit 82 at Joliet and Peotone and 83 at Tinley Park, mid-afternoon lakeshore air temps held to 58 at Lake Forest and 59 at Waukegan Harbor and Zion.It was 100% Sunny Wednesday with a 25° lakeshore to inland temp spread (58° in Lake Forest and Waukegan to 83° in Tinley Park—May's opening 10 days among the driest 25% since 1871—but more clouds and showers in our future later this week; flow off Lake Michigan plus clouds suggest cool weekend ahead...Coming days will see increased clouds—though Thursday should see temps surge broadly to the low 80s inland with mixed sun making for another beautiful day—rain chances surge Friday and could include scattered t-storms as winds off Lake Michigan cut into daytime warmingA broad and persistent northward flow of Gulf moisture is predicted to increase clouds--particularly Thursday night and through the weekend. ...

Hope Breakfast Bar owners cancel plans for Spring Break restaurant across from Xcel Energy Center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

Spring Break, the 1980s-themed restaurant set to open soon across from the Xcel Energy Center, has been called off, owner Brian Ingram said.The restaurant was to be a major tenant of the Seven Corners Gateway development, which also includes another Ingram restaurant, the Apostle Supper Club, and a hotel whose construction was interrupted by arson in 2020. Developer Carl Kaeding said he plans to find a new restaurant for the several-thousand-square-foot space.Ingram, who also runs Hope Breakfast Bar and the Gnome Craft Pub, said he hopes to revisit the idea in the future but said his creative energy is stretched too thin to do justice to the ambitious project.“That’s going to be such a unique and one-of-one concept that it was going to take a lot of my time and effort, and I just didn’t have the bandwidth to do it right now,” the chef and restaurateur said.Ingram cited omnipresent supply chain issues, along with the difficulty of finding contractors and designers to create so many c...

UAlbany women's lacrosse embarks for NCAA Tournament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Great Danes are Denver bound. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The University at Albany women's lacrosse team - three days removed from its' first America East championship since 2012 - shipped out to Colorado Wednesday afternoon for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Danes were treated to a send-off celebration on-campus before boarding their bus. They were played off by the pep band, and cheered on by numerous fans, coaches and administrators.UAlbany awaits the University of Virginia Friday - the 12th-ranked team in the country.But that level of competition is nothing new for a team that's played four ranked teams this season. The Danes...they're up to the task."We're feeling so ready," said head coach Katie Thomson. "We're excited for this matchup, and just all the preparation throughout the season, between our non-conference strength of schedule, and then our conference; we're read...

Former Empire owner encourages fans to support the team

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Former Empire owner Mike Kwarta sold his remaining shares of the team to now majority owner Antonio Brown on April 19th. Now, Kwarta is back in the NAL ownership ranks, with a new team. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Kwarta has joined the Orlando Predators as a minority owner. He reiterated at a press conference Wednesday, he left the Empire because of differing opinions with Antonio Brown. Kwarta says he still feels invested in the team he helped build, but he feels there is a growing divide amongst the fan base. He had a message for all of the Empire fans, past and present. "Support the team," said Kwarta. "Support the guys. Support the ownership. Support what is going on right now. You can have your opinions and so on and so forth but support the brand. We want everybody to support this to keep it here."Kwarta also wanted to clear up what he viewed as misconceptions surrounding his exit. "We are...

Ukrainian steel giant asks staff to work remotely amid 9 May air strikes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:45:00 GMT

Ukraine's largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, said on Monday (8 May) that it had told staff to take Tuesday (9 May) off or work remotely because of the threat of Russian air strikes.The company, which employs about 20,000 people is located in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown, often the target of Russian drone and missile attacks.A spokesperson said the measure reflected "the escalation of enemy attacks throughout the country and the downing of a reconnaissance drone in Kryvyi Rih, on Saturday (6 May)".Moscow has intensified air strikes this month as Ukraine prepares to launch a counteroffensive against Russia's invasion.It has also vowed to retaliate after blaming Kyiv for an apparent drone attack on Moscow's Kremlin citadel, for which Ukraine denied responsibility.On Tuesday, Russia commemorated the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, a major state holiday, with a Victory Day military parade across Red Square.The stee...