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IMF’s Georgieva: ‘Risks to financial stability have increased’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

The outlook for the global economy is likely to remain weak in the medium term amid heightened risks to financial stability, according to International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.“We expect 2023 to be another challenging year, with global growth slowing to below 3 percent as scarring from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and monetary tightening weigh on economic activity,” Georgieva said on Sunday at a conference in China. “Even with a better outlook for 2024, global growth will remain well below its historic average of 3.8 percent,” she said. “It is also clear that risks to financial stability have increased,” Georgieva said. “At a time of higher debt levels, the rapid transition from a prolonged period of low-interest rates to much higher rates — necessary to fight inflation — inevitably generates stresses and vulnerabilities, as evidenced by recent developments in the banking sector in some advanced economies.&#...

Geneva Convention flouted by Russia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Under the Geneva Convention, Russia is obliged to return all severely wounded Ukrainian POWs to UkraineRussia is constantly sabotaging the exchange of POWs by violating the Geneva Convention, which requires treating them humanely. This fundamental principle is simply not respected by Russia.Today, the Russian Federation is illegally holding hostage Ukrainian civilians, including children, women and the elderly, who have been detained by Russian special services in the occupied territories, as well as seriously wounded and seriously ill Ukrainian servicemen.All these categories of citizens should be returned to Ukraine without any conditions under international humanitarian law. Despite this, Russia not only continues to hold civilian and seriously wounded servicemen hostage, but also refuses to allow representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross access to their places of detention. Furthermore, the Russians do not provide Ukrainian POWs with proper conditions, nece...

Word Game: March 26, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — RIVALRIES (RIVALRIES: RYE-vul-rees: Competitions.)Average mark 56 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 64 or more words in RIVALRIES?TODAY’S WORD — RIVALRIES rail raise rale rare rave ravel real rear rile rise riser rival rive river riviera iris isle ivies vale valise varies vase veal veil velar vial vile viler viral virile visa vise aisle alive arise arrive aver lair lase laser liaise liar live liver earl evil sail sale salve salver sari save saver seal sear serial sierra silva silver sire slave slaver slier sliverTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissibl...

Ask Amy: We’re tired of the ‘hot Christian woman’ drama

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Dear Amy: Over the last two decades, my partner and I have helped a friend through several abusive relationships, rehab and financial issues. Now, not unlike her history of addiction, she’s suddenly “found God” to the extreme.She carries a Bible, goes to Bible study, and her Facebook posts are all about God.She says she wants to move on from her past and yet she then posts: “In search of a Hot Christian Man, because I am a Hot Christian Woman.”Yes, she is definitely a “babe” (and she dresses like one), but I’ve suggested a milder route in her search for purity. She disagrees, and says that I just don’t get it.Maybe I don’t get it, but if she got a job and dialed God back a few notches, I think “Hot Man” would find her.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: I was mortified when they saw we had swiped their wine Advice | Ask Amy: Can I cut my tip because of my stylist’s high prices? Advice | As...

Pedestrian struck and killed on the Capital Beltway, temporarily stops all traffic

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Dan Ronan was on the scene of the crash and described the bumper to bumper traffic $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); A pedestrian is dead after being struck on the Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway during the predawn hours on Sunday, according to Maryland State Police.It happened near New Hampshire Avenue in Prince George’s County around 2:45 a.m. and the crash led police to close both directio...

Soaring Sunshine to Begin New Week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

The warming trend continues across South Florida following a warm but beautiful Saturday across South Florida. Marathon even tied their daily record high of 87F Saturday afternoon, and while record heat is not expected over the next few days, temperatures could come close.This Sunday, expect nice conditions to continue with partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies paired with high humidity and peak temperatures in the mid to upper 80s courtesy of a southerly wind flow around a weakening area of high pressure to our east over the Atlantic.That high will continue to feed in a southerly wind heading into Monday and Tuesday, too, keeping highs well above average into the mid to upper 80s. Skies will remain bright with just some patchy clouds and rain chances will stay low at a 10% chance.That will change by Wednesday as a weak front nears South Florida, however. This front is currently expected to develop a few showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm during the day while temperatures re...

Some seasick over topless bathing season on Nantucket

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Some on the island of Nantucket are dreading this summer.It’s not global warming or Kevin Spacey making a return visit that has them fretting, it’s topless bathing. It kicks off, or comes off, in a few short months.“I don’t want the season to begin,” said Nantucket resident Beth Barry, who said she’s not alone in that sentiment. “It’s like having a free strip club. So many people didn’t vote for it.”But the majority did. As the Herald reported last May, Nantucket Town Meeting members passed the topless bylaw 327 to 242. Then-Attorney General Maura Healey backed the legality of the bylaw in December before changing over to the governor’s office.Healey’s AG office stated: “We approve the Town’s vote authorizing any person to go topless on any public or private beach in Nantucket because we discern no conflict” with the constitution.Alas, John Adams did not see this one coming when he penned the Massachusetts Const...

ASK IRA: Is there any wiggle room left for Heat in the East race?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Q: So what’s the next big game for the Heat? – Victor.A: At this point, there is an easy answer: whatever the next game is on the schedule. For the Heat, there is no wiggle room in this race to try to avoid the play-in round. So that makes Tuesday night in Toronto the next big game. Followed by Wednesday in New York. Yes, a victory against the Knicks would give the Heat that tiebreaker, so in essence that would count double against the Knicks. But it wouldn’t carry any more weight in the race against the Nets than any other victory. So win, win, win. And then win some more (all while lamenting the way too many ones that got away, such as Saturday).Q: Ira, shouldn’t Bam Adebayo be dominating down the stretch? Does 16 points and seven rebounds seem like a good performance for the second-highest paid player on the team? It looks like he’s afraid of the basket. – Brian, Miami Shores.A: Or is it a case of be careful of what you wish for? Bam Adebayo wa...

Finding Faith: 10 years after, Boston Marathon bombing survivor builds new life

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Marc Fucarile has risen from the ashes on Boylston Street.Even though he’s reminded daily of the “evil” that robbed him of his right leg at the Boston Marathon bombings a decade ago, he embraces what’s ahead.He’s living proof of the city’s resilience as the race marks the 10-year anniversary of the terror attack that killed three spectators — Martin Richard, 8, Lingzi Lu, 23, and Krystle Campbell, 29 — and injured or maimed hundreds of others.Two officers — MIT’s Sean Collier and BPD’s Dennis “DJ” Simmonds — were killed in the manhunt, with Collier shot and Simmonds succumbing to injuries a year later.Fucarile has the right to be angry, but that’s not the path his faith is taking him down. He is the epitome of Boston Strong and his life shows it.“Tragedy happens to so many people. My message is we need to support one another. You just don’t know what other people are going through,” Fucarile told the Herald this week.The 44-year-old Stoneham native said it was the “kindness of stran...

Extension of drinks to-go, other pandemic-related provisions, likely to be renewed under state spending plan

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:10:42 GMT

Pending a signature from Gov. Maura Healey, Bay State residents are likely to continue being allowed to purchase espresso martinis and other to-go libations with takeout meals from their favorite restaurants.State lawmakers have approved a spending plan that would extend drinks-to-go and other provisions that popped up during the pandemic, such as outdoor dining regulations and remote access to public meetings.Selling cocktails, beer and wine with takeout and delivery orders proved to be a lifeline for restaurants, especially when they shuttered during the pandemic’s infancy, said Lesley Delaney Hawkins, former executive secretary of the Boston Licensing Board.Restaurants are likely to keep that option for another year if and when Healey greenlights the $389 million supplemental budget request.“The pandemic is on the back burner, but the impacts are still very real. You’re still seeing restaurants that didn’t reopen,” Delaney Hawkins told the Herald. “People aren’t necessarily comfo...