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They bought a cheap home in Italy. Then they bought another

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

By Silvia Marchetti | CNNWhen Italian villages started selling houses for the price of a cup of coffee, most foreign buyers rushing to grab a slice of the action saw it as a fun property hunt – a search for the ultimate bargain.But for some, buying an old home in an offbeat location has turned out to be a life-changer.In 2021, Jeffrey Pfefferle bought two abandoned houses in the Sicilian town of Mussomeli. One cost one euro – a little over a dollar. The other was a “premium” property – a ready-to-occupy home in need of only minor fixes.Pfefferle – a South California-based retiree in his late 50s – and his British partner Leon McNaught never imagined how much the purchases could change their lives.“It gave us an opportunity to take a closer look at our lives and we found that the things we value in life are abundant in Mussomeli,” says Pfefferle.“It’s a place that offers a quality of life that predominantly values people above money. A place that embraces a slower pace, giving more p...

GOP hardliners again stymie effort to avoid shutdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

By Lisa Mascaro and Stephen Groves | Associated PressWASHINGTON — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy emerged with a spending cut plan to avert a looming federal government shutdown by appeasing his hard-right flank, only to see it quickly collapse Thursday in a crushing defeat, the next steps uncertain.His latest attempt to move ahead with a traditionally popular defense funding bill as a first step toward keeping the government running was shattered by a core group of Republican colleagues who refused to vote with the increasingly endangered speaker.A test vote to advance the bill failed, 212-216, as a handful of Republicans joined with Democrats to stop it. It was the third time that McCarthy, R-Calif., has been stymied, and once again the House came to a sudden standstill.The open revolt was further evidence that McCarthy’s strategy of repeatedly giving in to the conservatives is seemingly only emboldening them. A handful of GOP lawmakers, urged on by Donald Trump, the party̵...

Artificial intelligence incubator hub is eyed for downtown San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

SAN JOSE — An artificial intelligence incubator could sprout in downtown San Jose, a fledgling effort being pursued by a busy local real estate developer that could spur the economy in the city’s urban core.The AI endeavor by developer Gary Dillabough is in the very early stages and there are no assurances that it will actually come to pass.One thing does appear certain: An incubator for AI companies could produce a significant economic boost for downtown San Jose.“San Jose should be the capital for AI development,” Dillabough said at a recent event to discuss the current situation as well as the future prospects for the city’s downtown.Dillabough made his comments during the Sept. 6 Silicon Valley Real Estate Breakfast hosted by prominent law firm Hoge Fenton.“We are talking with a potential partner to bring 40 or 50 AI startups to downtown San Jose,” Dillabough said during a discussion about how to spur economic activity in the city’...

King Charles III makes a stop at the fire-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral on his state visit to France

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Britain's King Charles III addresses French lawmakers from both the upper and the lower house of parliament at the French Senate, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 in Paris. King Charles III will later meet with sports groups in the northern suburbs of Paris and pay a visit to fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral Thursday, on the second day of his state visit to France.( Emmanuel Dunand, Pool via AP)(AP/Emmanuel Dunand) Britain's King Charles III addresses French lawmakers from both the upper and the lower house of parliament at the French Senate, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 in Paris. King Charles III will later meet with sports groups in the northern suburbs of Paris and pay a visit to fire-damaged Notre-Dame cathedral Thursday, on the second day of his state visit to France.( ...

Panthers rookie QB Young held out of practice with ankle injury; Andy Dalton gets starters reps

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers veteran quarterback Andy Dalton admits he’s having a little more fun this week knowing there’s a chance he may start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.Rookie QB Bryce Young missed his second straight day of practice on Thursday because of an ankle injury, further increasing the likelihood the 13-year pro will make his first start in a Panthers uniform.“For me, obviously — absolutely,” Dalton said with a smile. “It’s always nice because I have had a certain way of operating in my career, and when you go from starting to being the backup that is one of the things that you miss. … When you get a chance to take ownership of what you’re doing, and to know how you want it to look and how you want it to feel and see it executed, that is what makes football fun.”Dalton made it clear his goal is not to steal Young’s starting job, but instead to help the Panthers win.Young, the No. 1 pick in the draft, injured his ankle at some point duri...

Guinea’s leader defends coups in Africa and rebuffs the West, saying things must change

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The recent coups in Africa are attempts by militaries to save their countries from presidents’ “broken promises,” the head of Guinea’s junta said Thursday as he rebuffed the West for boxing in the continent of more than 1 billion people.Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, who was sworn in as Guinea’s interim president following the coup in 2021, told the U.N. General Assembly that beyond condemning the coups, global leaders must also “look to and address the deep-rooted causes.”“The putschist is not only the person who takes up arms to overthrow a regime,” he told the gathering of world leaders in New York. “I want us all to be well aware of the fact that the real putschists, the most numerous, are those who avoid any condemnation — they are those … who cheat to manipulate the text of the constitution in order to stay in power eternally.”Guinea is one of several nations in West and Central Africa that have experienced eight coups since 2020, includin...

After more than 100 years together, No. 8 Washington and California meet for final time before split

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Go back more than 100 years and two names have always been associated with football on the West Coast as members of the same conference.Washington and California.The schools were among the original members of the Pacific Coast Conference that started play in 1916 and they have been constants through its various iterations. That connection between the Huskies and Golden Bears will come to an end after this season. Washington is headed to the Big Ten; Cal is off to the ACC.So Saturday’s matchup between the eighth-ranked Huskies and the Golden Bears that opens the Pac-12 season for both comes with uncertainty over whether two schools linked for so long will ever meet again.For those involved with this edition, the history of the matchup is secondary to the importance of starting conference play with a win.“Each game the stakes become greater if you take care of business Week 1,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said.Saturday will be the 101st time the sides have met a...

Missouri tries to build on upset of K-State with a game against Memphis in St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Memphis (3-0) vs Missouri (3-0) at St. Louis, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU)Line: Missouri by 7, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Missouri leads 3-1.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Memphis won its first three games a couple of years ago and proceeded to lose three straight. Ryan Silverfield’s bunch will try to avoid a similar fate beginning with its game against Missouri, which will be played at The Dome at America’s Center, the former home of the St. Louis Rams. Missouri is coming off a last-second win over Kansas State on a 61-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis, and will be trying to start 4-0 for the first time in a decade.KEY MATCHUPMemphis RB Blake Watson against the Missouri run defense. Watson ran 10 times for 169 yards and a score while catching six passes for another 68 yards in last week’s 28-24 win over Navy. The transfer from Old Dominion will face a Missouri run defense that surrendered 138 yards in last week’s 30-27 win over Kansas State.PLAYERS TO...

Syracuse hosts Army with a shot at opening the season with four straight wins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

Army (2-1) at Syracuse (3-0), Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET (ACC Network)Line: Syracuse by 13 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsbookSeries record: Syracuse 11-10.WHAT’S AT STAKE? Both teams are coming off big road wins. The undefeated Orange can set themselves up for a huge home game against Clemson with a win over the Black Knights. The game against Clemson is the first in Syracuse’s three-game gauntlet that closes with consecutive road games against No. 17 North Carolina and No. 4 Florida State. An upset of Syracuse would give Army a major boost of confidence heading into two Power Five matchups in the next three weeks against Boston College and No. 12 LSU.KEY MATCHUPArmy averages more than 200 yards on the ground. That’s the good news. The bad news for the Black Knights is that Syracuse has held the opposition to less than 90 yards rushing per outing. Army will try to control the clock by pounding the ball. It could be a long day if they can’t. Also worth monitoring is Syracuse’s r...

1 person killed, dozens injured after bus carrying students crashes in New York

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:36 GMT

(CNN) — At least one person has died and dozens more were injured when a bus carrying students rolled over on Interstate 84 in Orange County, New York, about 75 miles north of New York City, authorities said.Roughly 45 people were injured, according to the Wawayanda Fire Company. An individual who answered the phone at the fire company did not provide further details about the severity of the injuries.There were “multiple serious injuries,” New York State Police said in a news release.The bus was carrying students from Farmingdale High School in Long Island and was headed to a music event for band camp, a spokesperson from the high school confirmed to CNN.The bus was on its way to Greeley, Pennsylvania, the school said in a statement.“We were informed that there had been an accident with Bus 1 en route to Greeley, PA for band camp,” Farmingdale High School spokesperson Jake Mendlinger told CNN. “Police and emergency responders are on the scene, as well as district administ...