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US national debt hits record $34 trillion 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

WASHINGTON — The federal government’s gross national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, a record high that foreshadows the coming political and economic challenges to improve America’s balance sheet in the coming years.The U.S. Treasury Department issued a report Tuesday logging U.S. finances, which have become a source of tension in a politically divided Washington that could possibly see parts of the government shutdown without an annual budget in place.Republican lawmakers and the White House agreed last June to temporarily lift the nation’s debt limit, staving off the risk of what would be a historic default. That agreement lasts until January 2025.The national debt eclipsed $34 trillion several years sooner than pre-pandemic projections. The Congressional Budget Office’s January 2020 projections had gross federal debt eclipsing $34 trillion in fiscal year 2029.But the debt grew faster than expected because of a multi-year pandemic starting in 2020 that shu...

The Mississippi Gulf Coast beckons travelers in search of art, artifacts and history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

By Caroline Eubanks | Chicago TribuneThe coastline of Mississippi is small but mighty, only 50 miles along U.S. Route 90.But for generations, its communities have attracted visitors from near and far, first gaining popularity following the Civil War as New Orleanians hopped the trains and steamboats heading east to avoid yellow fever epidemics.During this time, the six main towns along the route were given the name “Six Sisters of the Gulf Coast.” Today, the beach towns — especially Bay St. Louis, Ocean Springs and Biloxi — are favorites for travelers in search of sun, especially during the spring and summer months. The area has plentiful public beach access and, for those feeling lucky, casinos along the water, not to mention fresh local seafood hauled in every day. There’s also a rich history, with historic homes and museums focusing on the coastal ecosystem, like the Mississippi Aquarium and the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum.But what travelers might not know is that this...

Massachusetts gas prices continue decline into the new year; national average down after rare increase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

Near record levels of holiday traffic didn’t stop gas prices from declining as the calendar turned to 2024 and millions of Americans hit the roads between Christmas and New Year’s Day.Massachusetts gas prices continue to fall in the latest survey, with the average price down 3 cents a gallon from last week – the second consecutive week with the same decline. After the first increase since September, the national average also fell.Drivers looking to fill up can expect to pay an average price of $3.20 gallon now, 17 cents lower than a month ago and 15 cents lower than a year ago, according to AAA Northeast.Despite the continued decline, the Bay State’s average gas price is 10 cents higher than the national average of $3.10, a two-cent drop from last week’s $3.12, AAA Northeast figures show.The trend is holding tight amid ongoing tensions in the vital Red Sea shipping corridor caused by militants attacking cargo ships, which has created upward pressure on oil prices. Crude oil prices s...

One dead following early morning fire in Cambridge apartment building

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

One person was found dead in the wake of a deadly three-alarm fire that ripped through a Cambridge apartment building early Tuesday morning, the Cambridge Police Department reported.The fire was first called in at the Chester Street apartment building at about 4:40 a.m., the department said in a release. Multiple witnesses at the site reported a loud explosion quickly followed by a heavy volume of fire, according to a city spokesperson.Responding units initially found a sizable blaze at the four-story building, the department said, which rose to three alarms.Many residents were reportedly alerted by their smoke alarms and escaped quickly, and one was rescued one occupant trapped through a third-floor window using an aerial ladder, Cambridge Police said.The fire was brought under control by 5:15 a.m., the department said. Firefighters contained the blaze to the second-floor apartment at the front left of the building, before entering to “conduct an aggressive interior attack.&#...

12 things that you can buy on sale in January

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

Are you all tapped out after the holidays? Well, join the club. Our wallets are empty too.Still, there are a few things that you should contemplate buying in January, because they’ll be on sale. Really on sale, not like the phony Black Friday deals that were marked up and then discounted. Here are some things that you might still want to buy:1 Gym memberships: If you’ve been thinking about joining a gym for your health, there’s never a better time than right after the new year, when fitness centers offer great deals, to take advantage of all those resolutions out there. Not to worry, most people will sign up and never go again. But if you’re determined to get healthy, this is the time to buy in. At this writing, Gold’s Gym had already started its 2024 promotion with a half-price offer of $17.48 month and no enrollment fee. Note that sometimes you can negotiate with the sales people and get an even cheaper deal, so give it a try. Plus, nearly all gyms offer free passes, so you can tr...

Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter pays $965K for West Loop condo and then sells Wisconsin home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

Chicago Bulls guard Jevon Carter in July paid $965,000 for a three-bedroom, 2,535-square-foot condominium in a West Loop high-rise, and in late November, he sold his four-bedroom, 3,052-square-foot house in Fox Point, Wis. for $770,000.A Proviso East alumnus, Carter, 28, signed with the Bulls in July after a little more than a year with the Milwaukee Bucks.In the West Loop, Carter’s new condo has 2-1/2 bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, a dining room, a living room with a balcony, hardwood floors, a custom built-in entertainment center and a kitchen with an island, stainless steel appliances and a wine refrigerator. Other features include wraparound city views and a primary bedroom suite with a large walk-in closet and a balcony.Carter’s new condo had been listed in May for $989,995. Its price was reduced to $975,000 in June and then to just below $950,000 in July.Paul Gorney of eXp Realty, who represented Carter in his purchase, could not be reached for comment.The un...

Prosecutors accuse Sen. Bob Menendez of introducing Qatari royal family member to aid NJ businessman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

By LARRY NEUMEISTER (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez introduced a member of the Qatari royal family and principal in a company with ties to the government of Qatar to a New Jersey businessman before the company invested millions of dollars in the businessman’s real estate project, a rewritten indictment alleged Tuesday.The latest version of the indictment against the Democrat in Manhattan federal court did not identify the member of the Qatari royal family, but it said the individual was a principal of the Qatari Investment Co.The indictment said the Qatari investor then considered and negotiated a multimillion-dollar investment in the real estate project planned by Fred Daibes, one of three businessmen charged in the indictment along with the senator and his wife. All of them have pleaded not guilty.Messages left with lawyers and a spokesperson for Menendez were not immediately returned.Tim Donohue, a lawyer for Daibes, said he had no immediate c...

Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns after antisemitism testimony, plagiarism claims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

Harvard President Claudine Gay is resigning following the intense backlash over comments she made about antisemitism on campus, along with claims that she has plagiarized.Gay’s resignation comes only six months into her presidency, which is the briefest presidency in Harvard’s history.“It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” Gay wrote to the Harvard community on Tuesday. “This is not a decision I came to easily. Indeed, it has been difficult beyond words because I have looked forward to working with so many of you to advance the commitment to academic excellence that has propelled this great university across centuries.“But, after consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather tha...

Best restaurants for 11 cuisines in San Diego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

CanvaAmerica is often described as a melting pot—a place where different cultures have come together over the centuries to form a new set of customs while maintaining the ones their ancestors have long held dear. For a lot of cultures, a major part of their identity is food.Walk down any main street in the United States and you're likely to see the cuisines of many countries that, despite being nowhere near each other on the globe, are sitting side by side. You could start in Egypt with some falafel, get a taste of Taiwan with a cup of bubble tea next door, pick up a side of fries at an old-fashioned American diner down the block, and finish it off with sopaipillas from the Mexican restaurant in town.Of course, we all have our favorite dishes: a juicy cheeseburger from a local pub, a savory bowl of tempura udon at a beloved Japanese restaurant, or some chicken tikka masala from your nearby Indian spot. But maybe you're looking to get out of your comfort zone a little, whether to try...

Trial of man charged with stabbing Salman Rushdie may be delayed until author’s memoir is published

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:12:54 GMT

MAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Salman Rushdie’s plans to publish a book about a 2022 attempt on his life may delay the trial of his alleged attacker, which is scheduled to begin next week, attorneys said Tuesday.Hadi Matar, the man charged with repeatedly stabbing Rushdie as the author was being introduced for a lecture, is entitled to the manuscript and related material as part of his trial preparation, Chautauqua County Judge David Foley said during a pretrial conference.Foley gave Matar and his attorney until Wednesday to decide if they want to delay the trial until they have the book in hand, either in advance from the publisher or once it has been released in April. Defense attorney Nathaniel Barone said after court that he favored a delay but would consult with Matar. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.“It’s not just the book,” Barone said. “Every little note Rushdie wrote down, I get, I’m entitled to. Every discussion, every recording, anything he did in reg...