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European Digital Identity: Easy online access to key services 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

Improved rules for the European Digital Identity - a personal digital wallet for EU citizens - will make it easier for people to access public services and make online transactions, Society.Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more public and private services have become digital. This requires secure and reliable digital identification systems. During the plenary session in mid-March, the European Parliament will adopt its position on the proposed update of the European Digital Identity framework.Find out more about the digital transformation, one of the EU's priorities.What is the European Digital Identity?The European Digital Identity (eID) enables the mutual recognition of national electronic identification schemes across borders. It allows EU citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online without having to resort to commercial providers. It also allows people to access online services from other EU countries using their national electronic identity card.What are th...

Miss Manners: My partner is troubled by my behavior in stores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My partner and I have an amicable disagreement concerning window shopping.In my view, it is perfectly acceptable to enter a store and look around, even if the chance I will purchase an item is somewhat low. In instances when I speak with an attendant, I set expectations by saying, “I am not sure if I am ready to make a purchase yet, but I have a brief question” — and I make sure to keep the question brief. I also refrain from doing so if the attendant appears busy or if the store is full of other customers.My significant other is deeply uncomfortable with this. They feel that it is impolite to raise the expectations of a store attendant that you may be making a purchase — especially if you ask a question or derive some benefit from the interaction without making a purchase.I disagree. Stores know that not all customers will purchase an item, but that providing a reasonable level of assistance will increase the chance of converting a window ...

Dear Abby: It’s simple American food, but they won’t even try it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my boyfriend for six years. He is wonderful. We became engaged last year.His family has been nice to me, but on holidays, I dread bringing a dish or dessert because none of them touch whatever I bring. It’s insulting and hurtful. I end up upset and toss it in the trash.I come from a large family. My parents immigrated from the Philippines, and I look forward to our family holiday celebrations. We all cook, appreciate and enjoy each dish or dessert we bring.I don’t know if my fiance’s family is afraid to try my cooking even though I make common, simple, American dishes.He doesn’t see the big deal when I raise the subject with him. My sisters all say I should stop bringing anything. Am I too sensitive? Is it worth taking anything to these gatherings?HURT COOK IN KENTUCKYRelated ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I worry about how they feed my grandchild Advice | Dear Abby: A stranger sent me screenshots of what my...

McKeown sets 200-meter backstroke swimming world record

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Three-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown broke the world record in the 200-meter backstroke Friday at the New South Wales State Open swim championships.McKeown finished in 2 minutes, 03.14 seconds, taking 0.21 seconds off American swimmer Regan Smith’s mark from 2019.McKeown won the 100 and 200 backstroke golds at the Tokyo Olympics and was a member of Australia’s winning 400-meter medley relay team.The record came on the opening night of the New South Wales meet at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, site of the 2000 Olympic swimming events.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Transurban announces it will exit proposed toll lane expansion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.An Australia-based company that was the lead partner in a plan to build toll lanes to widen I-270 and parts of the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County announced that they will exit the project.Transurban, lead partner in a consortium known as Accelerate Maryland Partners, issued a statement Thursday evening — the start of the Friday business day in Australia — announcing it will not proceed with the project.The announcement comes less than two weeks before the company was required to meet a key deadline and submit its design and finance plans for the project.In a statement, the company said the project faced challenges including delayed environmental approvals, “a changing political landscape,” and unresolved lawsuits.“Transurban is disappointed that we were unable to reach agreement with Maryland to deliver the critical congestion ...

Czech Republic beats China 8-5 at WBC, Cuba gets its 1st win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Martin Muzik hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning and the Czech Republic beat China 8-5 on Friday in the World Baseball Classic.The Czech Republic overcame a 5-4 deficit in the ninth, with Filip Smola adding an RBI single in the team’s first game in Group A. Matej Mensik also homered for the Czechs, connecting in the third. Marek Minarik was the winner, closing with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.Hai Cheng Gong took the loss as China dropped to 0-2. It lost to Japan 8-1 on Thursday.The all-amateur Czech team has had fun in Japan. A few of the players even went surfing in the run-up to the tournament during games in Miyazaki in southwestern Japan.“We’re enjoying the Japanese stay,” Czech player Marek Chlup said. “At Miyazaki, some players swam.”CUBA 13, PANAMA 4TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Cuba pounded out 21 hits and picked up its first victory in the World Baseball Classic after losing its first two games in Group A.Panama led 4-2 after two innings, bre...

Smithsonian ‘Afrofuturism’ exhibit to include objects from Marvel’s ‘Black Panther,’ Outkast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

Starting this month, the National Museum of African American History and Culture will display a new exhibit highlighting and exploring the concept of Afrofuturism.“Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” opens Friday, March 24.More Local NewsMore DC News“Afrofuturism” is a term used to define the aesthetic juxtaposition of African American culture and science fiction, centering history and futuristic elements of expression like art and music. It is an “evolving concept expressed through a Black cultural lens that reimagines, reinterprets and reclaims the past and present for a more empowering future.”The term was coined in 1994 by author and cultural critic Mark Dery in his book “Flame Wars: The Discourse of Cyberculture.”“This exhibition is a way to look at how Afrofuturism has been practiced throughout history and across the diaspora, and the ways it is expressed, historically and in the present, through art, literature and activism,” said cur...

French, British leaders meet in efforts to mend relations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meet Friday in Paris for a summit aimed at mending relations following post-Brexit tensions, as well as improving military and business ties and toughening efforts against Channel migrant crossings.The French-British summit, the first since 2018, is set to show a “new chapter” is opening in relations between the two countries, according to Macron’s office. Such an event was previously held almost every year. Relations between the U.K. and France chilled amid post-Brexit wrangling over fishing rights and other issues, and hit rock-bottom under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who took delight in needling the French. His successor, Liz Truss, ruffled French feathers last year when she said the “jury is out” on whether Macron was a friend or a foe.But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought Britain and its European neighbors closer together in support of Kyiv, and the mood improved after pragmatic, tec...

Russia and ‘fugitive oligarchs’ pile pressure on Moldova, top minister says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

The situation in Moldova is “extremely volatile,” Interior Minister Ana Revenco said Friday, amid fears that Russia is fomenting a coup to topple the pro-EU Moldovan government.“We are seeing how Moscow, interest groups and fugitive oligarchs are putting together all of their efforts and resources to increase the level of destabilization in the Republic of Moldova [and] change the democratic course in Chișinău,” Revenco said at a joint press conference with European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson in Brussels.Asked if Moldova could become the next Ukraine, Revenco said “democracy and peace in Europe” were Russia’s next targets, and called on the EU to keep supporting the former Soviet republic. “Moldova is only in the way of Russia’s intention to break [Europe’s] stability,” the minister said. “We can only keep it and protect it if we are united.”Moldova — which was granted candidate status to the EU&nb...

Georgian parliament kills Russian-style bill that sparked mass protests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:10:52 GMT

TBILISI — Georgia’s parliament on Friday formally voted down the controversial Russian-style bill on foreign agents after several days of massive street protests in Tbilisi.Crowds cheered at the entrance of the parliament, after learning that the bill had been killed. The vote will likely trigger disquiet in the Kremlin, where Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to keep former Soviet republics from turning toward Europe and the West. “Having turned towards Europe, Georgia knows it can count on the friendship of France,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted minutes after the vote.On Thursday, ruling Georgian Dream party officials pledged the bill would be revoked on March 21. But a plenary session was hurriedly scheduled for Friday after thousands continued to protest in the streets, waving EU flags and denouncing Russia, demanding the draft law be killed earlier.“I’m proud of every person who came out, every single person who has expressed his or her will and European-ne...