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Considering leaving the US for good? Here’s what to think about before you move abroad

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

By Blane Bachelor | CNNSocial media’s seemingly infinite stream of #expatlife content — from digital nomads in Estonia, new owners of old houses in Italy and retirees in Mexico — can sometimes paint the picture that everyone is ditching the United States for life in another country.While it’s not quite a mass exodus, the number of Americans who live outside the US is not insignificant. About 9 million US citizens may live overseas, according to a 2020 State Department estimate. And about 15% of Americans polled by Gallup in 2022 said they wanted to leave the US permanently.According to those who have done it, the often-gushy accounts of expats’ new lives overseas obscure an important part of the story: that, as enchanting and exciting as living abroad can be, making it happen requires vast amounts of perseverance, preparation and soul-searching.The best way for potential emigrants to start the process, many recommend, is by asking some hard questions about why you want to leave the ...

Square outage resolved after multiple service disruptions

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A widespread Square outage that created multiple service disruptions, including balance and transfers being impacted, has now been resolved as of Friday morning, the online payment platform confirmed on its website. Despite the outage being resolved, Square says to expect delays.Offline Mode Payments: Payments are currently being uploaded, but a slight delay is expected before they appear as completed. Any new Offline Mode Payments will be completed as normal in the coming hours.Square Reporting Tools: A possibility of delays is expected in updating new billing and transaction information across all Square reporting tools, including those in all Square Point of Sale apps and the Dashboard, the company said.Transfers: slight delays for some transfers are anticipated on Friday, however, you can expect to receive your transfers by 12:00 p.m. PDT on Friday."We understand how important it is to have your business tools fully operational, and for this reason, our e...

Cash App users able to make purchases, add cash following outage

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

(KRON) -- Cash App users are now able to make purchases after connection issues were reported on Thursday. Many users were not able to open the app due to the problem. As of 4:38 a.m. on Friday, users are now able to add cash, buy Bitcoin and make purchases with their Cash Card. However, the company is still working to resolve users' ability to send payments or cash out, Square said on its website.On its website, Cash App first reported the issue at 11:35 a.m. The website said not to re-attempt pending payments during the outage. "We're aware of an issue that's affecting multiple features of the app and are actively investigating. Please visit https://status.cash.app for the most recent updates," Cash App tweeted. Square outage results in multiple service disruptions Its most recent update came at 1:38 p.m. Cash App says not to log out of your account while the malfunction is occurring. When trying to open Cash App, the app simply says, "Please try again later." The website Downde...

TikTok ban on state worker phones won't happen in CA this year

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

(BCN/CM) -- California won't join more than 30 other states and the federal government in banning the TikTok app on state phones and devices -- at least not this year. Senate Bill 74 -- a bipartisan effort between Sens. Bill Dodd, a Napa Democrat, and Brian Jones, a San Diego Republican -- was shelved while it was on the Assembly floor for a vote before the Legislature adjourns next Thursday, even though it had a relatively smooth path. The Senate passed the bill 40-0 in late May, with an urgency clause to take effect immediately after being signed by the governor, and it breezed through Assembly committees, including a 16-0 vote last Friday to get out of the appropriations suspense file. Square outage resolved after multiple service disruptions But now, it's a two-year bill and won't be considered again until 2024. Dodd said the bill was held after Gov. Gavin Newsom's office reached out to him about waiting on findings of a study ordered by the governor Wednesday th...

VTA approves Cerone Yard proposal in San Jose

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

(KRON) -- Santa Clara transit officials recently approved a proposal to build more housing. In a 10 to 1 vote, a new interim housing community will be put in the Cerone VTA maintenance yard. The site, located at the southeast corner of Zanker Road and State Route 237, will provide 200 emergency temporary housing units and will keep unhoused people off the streets. Big changes to BART service schedule starting Monday "This shelter is far cheaper and more efficient to deploy than the status quo approach," Mayor Mahan said on X. "The situation on our streets is a crisis – and it’s time we act like it."Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom committed state funding for 200 quick-build units in San Jose.

Pentagon Misled Congress About U.S. Bases in Africa

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

Since a cadre of U.S.-trained officers joined a junta that overthrew Niger’s democratically elected president in late July, more than 1,000 U.S. troops have been largely confined to their Nigerien outposts, including America’s largest drone base in the region, Air Base 201 in Agadez.The base, which has cost the U.S. a total of $250 million since construction began in 2016, is the key U.S. surveillance hub in West Africa. But in testimony before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees in March, the chief of U.S. Africa Command described Air Base 201 as “minimal” and “low cost.”Gen. Michael Langley, the AFRICOM chief, told Congress about just two “enduring” U.S. forward operating sites in Africa: Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti and a longtime logistics hub on Ascension Island in the south Atlantic Ocean. “The Command also operates out of 12 other posture locations throughout Africa,” he said in his prepared testimony. “These locations have minimal permanent U.S. presence and have lo...

Water breaks in both halves in Rugby World Cup matches this weekend because of hot weather in France

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

PARIS (AP) — There will be water breaks at all matches on the first weekend of the Rugby World Cup, organizers said on Friday.That includes the opening match — France vs. New Zealand in Paris on Friday.The breaks will take place during both halves “at a natural break in play,” World Rugby said.Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Paris over the weekend, and 35 (95) on Saturday in Bordeaux, where Ireland play Romania.“The process has operated at previous Rugby World Cups and across rugby more broadly when temperatures are hot or humid,” the governing body added.___AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugbySource

Georgia special grand jury recommended charges against Sen. Graham, 2 ex-senators, Flynn, none of whom were indicted

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia special grand jury recommended charges against Sen. Graham, 2 ex-senators, Flynn, none of whom were indicted.Source

Brown and Langenbrunner highlight the US Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Former NHL players Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner highlight the 2023 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class unveiled Friday by USA Hockey.Longtime executive Brian Burke, women’s star Katie King Crowley and official Brian Murphy also are being inducted into the hall at a ceremony Dec. 6 in Boston.“It’s an amazing class and a group that truly reflects extraordinary,” USA Hockey President Mike Trimboli said. “Their accomplishments are varied and far-reaching, and the positive impact they’ve had on the game — and will continue to have — will no doubt benefit generations to come.”Brown in 2012 became the second American captain to hoist the Stanley Cup when the Los Angeles Kings won it for the first time, and he did it again in 2014. Earlier this year, the team put a statue of Brown outside of its arena and retired his No. 23 to the rafters. Langenbrunner also won the Cup twice, in 1999 with Dallas and 2003 with New Jersey. He was a teammate of Brown...

Two men questioned in Lebanon at Turkey’s request over 2019 escape of former Nissan tycoon Ghosn

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:51:15 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese judicial authorities have questioned two people at the request of Turkey on suspicion of being involved in the 2019 escape of auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn from Japan to Lebanon via Istanbul, officials said Friday.The news came a week before a hearing in Lebanon as part of a $1 billion lawsuit that Ghosn, formerly the president of Nissan, filed against the company and about a dozen people in Beirut over his imprisonment in Japan and what he says was misinformation spread against him.Ghosn was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of breach of trust, misusing company assets for personal gain and violating securities laws by not fully disclosing his compensation. Before he could stand trial, however, he escaped to Lebanon, via Turkey, apparently hidden in a box on a private plane. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan and does not extradite its citizens. Ghosn has French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship.Turkey is investigating whether the two men co...