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White House’s cloud security problem: ‘It could take down the internet like a stack of dominos’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

Governments and businesses have spent two decades rushing to the cloud — trusting some of their most sensitive data to tech giants that promised near-limitless storage, powerful software and the knowhow to keep it safe.Now the White House worries that the cloud is becoming a huge security vulnerability.So it’s embarking on the nation’s first comprehensive plan to regulate the security practices of cloud providers like Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Oracle, whose servers provide data storage and computing power for customers ranging from mom-and-pop businesses to the Pentagon and CIA.The cloud has “become essential to our daily lives,” Kemba Walden, the acting national cyber director, said in an interview. “If it’s disrupted, it could create large potentially catastrophic disruptions to our economy and to our government.”In essence, she said, the cloud is now “too big to fail.”The fear: For all their security expertise, the cloud giants offer concentrated targets that hackers could us...

Tractors head to The Hague, defying ban on farms protest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Farmers drove tractors toward The Hague early Saturday in defiance of a ban on the heavy vehicles imposed ahead of a protest against the government’s plan to reduce nitrate emissions.The municipality imposed an emergency order in the city on a day when thousands of farmers were set to gather in a park and environmental activists from the Extinction Rebellion group were also planning a protest action on a major road. Authorities placed army trucks near some crossroads ready to block the streets if tractors tried to drive into the city center.The demonstrations come days before Dutch voters go to the polls in provincial elections Wednesday that indirectly also elect the national parliament’s upper house and could have an effect on proposals for reducing nitrate pollution.Rotterdam broadcaster Rijnmond showed video of a convoy of tractors crossing the city’s Erasmus Bridge early Saturday, apparently on their way to The Hague. One of the t...

The Weeknd, Avril Lavigne, Tate McRae among top nominees at Junos pre-telecast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

TORONTO — Some of Canada’s brightest music stars will be toasted in Edmonton tonight as a pre-telecast Juno Awards celebration gets underway. More than 40 Juno categories will be handed out at the Juno Opening Night Awards, which stream live on YouTube and CBC Gem from the Edmonton Convention Centre, co-hosted by “Run the Burbs” star Andrew Phung and CBC Music’s Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe. Toronto singer the Weeknd holds a leading six Juno nominations, with four of those categories set to be handed out tonight, including contemporary R&B recording, artist and single of the year. Tied with five nods this year are Napanee, Ont. pop princess Avril Lavigne and Calgary newcomer Tate McRae. They’ll compete with each other in two of those categories tonight — single and pop album of the year.The industry show will toast several others, including Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew who receives the MusiCounts Inspired Minds Ambassador Award for his philanthro...

Clocks across Canada to jump forward, but U.S. could consign time change to history

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

VANCOUVER — Most Canadians will wind their clocks forward an hour tonight, but legislation in the United States that could put an end to the seasonal time change is also moving ahead.U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio last week reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act that would allow states to make daylight time permanent.If passed, the law would have knock-on effects across Canada with provinces including British Columbia and Ontario waiting on neighbouring U.S. states to ditch the time change before they do so too.B.C. Premier David Eby says the province wants to remain “in sync” with West Coast American states and he’s “very much looking forward to getting rid of daylight saving time.”The U.S. bill, first proposed in 2018, has repeatedly failed to get through both chambers of Congress, and last March it stalled in the House without a vote.University of British Columbia business professor Werner Antweiler says the latest version of the bill has bipartisan backing...

Daily horoscope for March 11, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Scorpio.Happy Birthday for Saturday, March 11, 2023:You are imaginative and organized. You have a keen mind, and you like to share your ideas with enthusiasm. This is a wonderful year to socialize! Nurture happiness and beauty in your surroundings. Let your guard down and loosen up a bit! Old friends might reappear to rekindle relationships. Enjoy!ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★★This is a romantic day full of fun and pleasure, plus unexpected invitations and turns of events. Anything might happen! Stay light on your feet so you can move fast in any direction. However, protect your possessions and money from loss or a surprise. Tonight: Happy times.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★A secret romance might have an unexpected development today. Meanwhile, someone younger might surprise you today with a fun suggestion. Admittedly, a partner, spouse or close friend might throw you a curveball. Neverthel...

OMAR HARFOUCH IN ITALIAN PARLIAMENT: "I FIGHT FOR MY DAUGHTER AND THE CHILDREN OF LEBANON, THE LEBANESE REPUBLIC NEEDS LIBERAL REFORMS

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

 Rome, 09 Mar 2023 - The Chamber of Deputies has held a conference of Lebanese politician Omar Harfouch, hosted by Hon. Roberto Bagnasco and organized by the Milton Friedman Institute, on the situation in Lebanon and the need for reform of the country's political and constitutional system."We, as the Friedman Institute, particularly wanted to promote this conference in order to highlight what is happening in a country very close to us, especially since we share the same sea and many issues that come from the Middle East and pass through Lebanon, and then come to Italy, as we have also seen recently with respect to immigration. At last a political figure is proposing a liberal state, so much so that he wants to reform it institutionally in a radical way" – said the conference’s moderator and Executive Director of the Milton Friedman Institute Alessandro Bertoldi."Lebanon needs a non-denominational elective system that guarantees greater representativeness and freedom for Lebanese cit...

Miss Manners: My mom gives me clothes for her fantasy of my life

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My mother cannot recognize the realities of my life. My husband lost his job four years ago; we eke by with thoughtful spending and renting out our guest room.I work overtime whenever I can, so we can have little luxuries like a streaming service subscription and quality food for our pets.My mother is fully aware of our situation, and though she has given us cash in the past, she prefers to buy me clothes for “stepping out.” These clothes are definitely more her taste than mine (plus, she knows we never go out). She includes a gift receipt so the clothes can be returned, but often only for a gift card at a store I would normally never shop at because they don’t carry anything I need.Returning the clothes involves spending hours of my scarce free time taking a bus (we don’t have a car), hauling awkward boxes and then scouring the store for ways to spend the credit. All the while, I’m thinking, “That could have bought a month̵...

Dear Abby: Should I tell what my friend is doing with the GoFundMe money?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My friend’s house was severely damaged in a hurricane and she lost a lot of the contents. Mind you, she was one of the lucky ones. Others in her community lost everything.One of her friends started a GoFundMe account to help with repair costs, and it is now up to thousands of dollars.My problem with this is: She’s now on her third trip to Europe this year. She constantly spends money, has thousands of dollars in credit card debt and tells me she’s broke. Granted, two of the trips were partly funded by her partner.Normally, she would post details about her trips on social media, but this time she’s not. Instead, she’s posting pictures of her house construction and implying that she’s there.I’ve considered outing her on social media, but I decided against doing that. I just can’t get beyond what she’s doing and don’t think I can continue my friendship. Am I justified?FULL DISCLOSURE IN FLORIDADEAR FULL DISCLOSURE: ...

China brokers deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia after 7-year dispute

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a China-brokered agreement on Friday to restore diplomatic relations, ending a seven-year dispute.Closed-door talks between top security officials took place in Beijing this week, leading to a Friday announcement in which Tehran and Riyadh agreed to re-open embassies within two months and to refrain from interfering in each other’s domestic affairs.“The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security,” according to a statement signed by senior representatives from China, Iran and Saudi Arabia.Regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia had been locked in a diplomatic dispute since 2016, following Riyadh’s execution of prominent Shia Muslim cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. He had been convicted of terror-related offenses in Iran.The execution of al-Nimr and 46 others led to heated demonstrations by Iranian protesters at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran in January 2016. The kingdom subs...

Syria hopes Iran-Saudi agreement will ease regional tension

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:49 GMT

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria on Saturday welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies saying it will lead to more stability in the region. Iran has been a main backer of President Bashar Assad’s government, while Saudi Arabia supports opposition fighters trying to remove him from power. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies after seven years of tensions. The major diplomatic breakthrough negotiated with China decreases the likelihood of armed conflict between the regional rivals, both directly and in proxy conflicts.The deal was struck in Beijing amid China’s ceremonial National People’s Congress. It represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States to be slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end Yemen’s lengthy conflict, in whi...